Mirror Lantern: The Present is Past
by Eramis8
Summary: Continuing with the aired second season, the crew of the Interceptor is rejoined by their most unusual (and annoying) member.
1. Call to Serve (Episode 15 Reboot)

So when I got the call from Kilowogg about Hal's new mission, Gi'ata and I were back on Zamaron after a diplomatic mission. It's not only Green Lanterns that patrol and protect their space. And I had plenty of reasons to stay with the Sapphires. Plenty, of reasons.

"You know you didn't have to punch the ambassador, right?" Gi'ata pointed out after our debriefing. Aga'po takes her job very seriously, but I got to admit that I'm enjoying this place. And they've stopped being mildly disgusted that a male could wield the power of love. Or maybe the disgust was because of the relationship that Gi'ata and I have. Take your pick.

"I warned him that you and I were together. It's his fault he didn't stop his… overly friendly actions." I commented, following Gi'ata to the balcony. Her favorite spot in the palace. And somewhere no one would disturb us. Perfect for after a mission.

"I never took you for the jealous type." She teased, hands running down my chest. I came in close, nuzzling her neck. This is usually how it went. She teases me and my wild nature, and then I showed her my much more gentle and loving side. Love is all kinds of things. Including making me a softie. But about the difference in between a rock and piece of metal soft. I'm rambling; back to the story.

"Why would I want to give up someone like you, my love?" I whispered in her ear. We pulled back for a moment so we could stare into each other's eyes. Then we started kissing. Started, but didn't exactly finish. Universe likes to screw me on that, you notice?

"Shiny? You there?" My ring called out in Kilowogg's voice. Why can't I have something nice? Not that I'm saying that what Gi'ata and I have isn't nice, but… you know I'm going to stop shooting myself in the foot while I still have toes. Apologies to Gi'ata if she's listening.

"Kilowogg, this better be good." I said to his mini violet hologram. Violet did not suit him.

"Now that he's an Honor Guard and the Manhunters are waking up, Hal needs our help again. Get your reflective butt over here stat!" Kilowogg ordered me. Just like old times. I looked at Gi'ata, who gave me her look of disappointment. Well that put one hell of a boulder on my heart.

"I guess you have to leave. To go help your friends." The tone of her voice let the boulder absolutely crush me. Ever since I came back we had been pretty much inseparable, doing missions and all kinds of things together. I tilted her face to look at me and gave her one of my famous goodbye kisses. Couples can't spend every second of the day together, so I made it my specialty to give her that kind of goodbye she'll never forget. Anyways, I'll skip the rest of my sappy goodbye to spare Gi'ata any embarrassment in case the word gets out. Which it won't if you know what's good for you.

"I'll be back as soon as I can." I promised, creating the portal to Kilowogg's location. I got there, there being Oa, and I was greeted by a Hal with a bruised ego and Kilowogg grinning from ear to ear. Apparently I missed something really good. Which Kilowogg would later forward the video to me. And I posted onto everything resembling the human internet that I could find. The last person we needed to pick up on Oa was Aya and she should have been with the Interceptor. But she wasn't. Instead we had a new guy named LANOS. Or as Hal put it, Lame-O. When the little AI started jerking us around with his flying I immediately agreed with Hal's assessment. The only useful thing Lame-O did for us before I ripped him out was tell us where Aya was.

I take back everything I've ever said about the Guardians. They are much worse than I initially stated. They locked up Aya with the intent of dissecting her so they could learn about her. I'm going to vent for a second. Those fat-headed ugly pieces of poozer shit were going to kill my sister and they got incredibly lucky that Kilowogg saw what was coming before I could go tear their blue gnomish bodies apart. Vent done. Kilowogg quickly stuffed me in the cell before I could actually act on my rather violent impulse. I cooled off and eventually Kilowogg let me out of the cell. And yes, I didn't exactly have a family before I joined the Interceptor so I kind of started to think of them as my actual family. Aya's my little sister, Hal and Kilowogg have been great dads. And that makes Razer the sister's boyfriend I'm supposed to be friends with and yet still be a constant reminder of our wrath if he breaks her heart. Which Razer wouldn't do. Plus, Aya said it made her feel more alive when I called her my sister so I did it just for her. Okay that lengthy aside put aside, we needed to rescue Aya.

So Hal came up with a plan to break her out and then nearly messed it up. Thankfully, Hal's luck held out and we got Aya back. Unfortunately my luck isn't that good. Tomar-Re showed up and he wanted on. Now I could have done something about it, but he gave off that "don't mess with me" vibe and my common sense agreed with that vibe. So I sat, kept silent and waited for him to do whatever he was going to do. So then it turned out he was there to join us because Hal was right. What a surprise. Once we got Aya re-installed at least it felt somewhat normal.

"Thank you for coming to my assistance Green Lanterns." Aya told us when she was activated. I missed the talks we had before she cut off communications. I think that was about the time Razer left Oa. We were still missing someone. Someone that we needed, not that Hal or Kilowogg would admit it.

"Aya, you're okay!" Hal breathed in relief. Either it went worse in the lab than he admitted or he is subconsciously taking on the role of group dad.

"I am operating at full capacity. Thanks to you." Aya replied, relief evident in her voice.

"Nice to have you back Aya. That Lame-O was getting on my nerves." Kilowogg pointed out.

"Yeah sis. I don't trust anyone else to do your job." I said, just happy that the Guardians had no chance of getting to her now.

"Sis?" Hal asked me, clearly confused. I just shrugged and didn't answer. He could figure it out for himself.

"Sorry we had to leave your body behind." Hal continued, bringing his attention back to Aya.

"Where is Razer?" Aya inquired, clearly missing her boyfriend. Not that Hal, Tomar-Re, or Kilowogg knew that. Not that I actually had a reason to say anything about it. Secrets, best kept from other people.

"He's on sabbatical. I'm sure he'll turn up. Eventually." Hal answered. Aya was clearly sad so I had to do something.

"I tried reaching him via portal but I couldn't get a stable enough connection. But since I could at least attempt he's not dead." I optimistically explained. Hal gave his now standard "We'll talk later" look. Definitely my surrogate dad.

"Oh." Aya was still sad but I think it gave her some hope.

"I'll let you guys talk about whatever you talk about. If you need me, I'll be crafting some new pieces for Aya." I said, leaving before Tomar-Re could begin his speech. I've had enough of bureaucracy and theoretical science for the day. So we set out for Biot, a planetary junkyard. Maybe I could pick up some extra pieces to help rebuild Aya while the actual Green Lanterns go do their job. I'm part of the crew, but that doesn't mean I do Green Lantern-only problems. When I set out to go get salvage, I was not prepared for a bunch of Manhunters sitting in piles. Where's Razer when I need him? He would know what pieces to gather, but instead I just took large chunks and intact pieces that didn't stare back at me to the Interceptor. It was about the third trip I made when some of the Manhunters activated. Those things are tough, but I was much tougher than I was when I first met the crew. When more of them showed up, I got really happy I could use more colors than anyone else. It took almost all of my charge, but I created active construct versions of myself in red and green to give my real self some cover to get to the Interceptor.

"New tricks brother?" Aya asked as we watched the construct versions of me do battle.

"Always trying to impress you sis." I replied as Hal called for an emergency artillery strike. While Aya took over attack calculations, I slid into the pilot's seat. No wonder Hal likes it so much; the thing is as comfortable as chairs could ever be. It was a great shot from Aya. When Hal decided to scare us a little by waiting to answer, we shared a sigh of relief. She's really got a handle on those now. The sighs were premature, however, because the biggest baddie I've ever seen dug itself out of the rubble and attacked with some kind of particle beam. A quick blast seemed to stun the thing but then it decided that we were the threat. I've never been gladder to have learned to fly from Jordan. The others beat a hasty retreat to the Interceptor, but the baddie attacked. And Jordan decided to get himself blown up by the baddie.


	2. Cracking Up (Episode 16 Steam Lantern)

_Leave it to Hal to break the universe when he dies. Fucking jerk. He goes out like that, dying in front of us. What are we going to tell Carol? Sorry, he got blown up so badly he left a crack in the universe? God Fucking Dammit. I'm going to hunt that thing down and scatter its pieces across the universe. Then I'm going to melt it down and make a statue in honor of Hal from it. _

This was the lovely collection of thoughts I had when Hal disappeared. I was too distraught to do much more than sit while Tomar-Re flew us… wherever the hell he wanted to go. I didn't care, but Kilowogg kept arguing with him.

"Kilowogg, come in." Hal's voice announced from the radio set. There was no way… not even Hal…

"Shut your talk-hole Jordan I'm right in the middle of… Jordan? It's Jordan!" Kilowogg shouted to me as he shoved Tomar-Re out of his way.

Kilowogg laughed, relief breaking the tough guy schtick, "Told ya! Where are you kid? You okay?"

"Sensors are not reading his location. Green Lantern Hal Jordan is not registering in this sector at all." Aya explained, actively searching for our missing leader.

"I think Hal's calling us from Heaven." I darkly muttered. Not a big believer in hope. Optimism sure, but pure blind hope? Nada.

"That's because I'm not in your sector or universe. That thing we were fighting, it calls itself the Anti-Monitor. It comes from a parallel universe. When it hit me, I was knocked to where it came from." Hal explained, and we all shared a look. Nothing is ever simple for us. Nothing. At least I can be optimistic now that I have a clue as to what's going on.

"Well how do we bring you back?" Kilowogg asked, motioning for me to be ready to take down Tomar-Re if the other Green Lantern kicked up a fuss. Something we worked out back when Razer was still… acclimating to being part of the crew.

"There's a big rip in the sky here, just like the one over Biot. The Anti-Monitor used it to cross over, so maybe I can use it to get back." Hal answered. Always optimistic isn't he?

"Theoretically, perhaps. But the power to breach the barrier between the universes would need to be monumental." Tomar-Re answered. I guess we need a voice of reason considering Razer isn't here at the moment. Doesn't mean I liked it. What? I missed him. Men have emotions too.

"Well evidently a Green Lantern has been here before. If he can find a way back, so can we. Rendezvous in twelve hours. With both of us applying power from each side, hopefully we can make an opening to slip through." Hal finished, but he might have been cut off. Inter-universal reception is terrible like that.

"What are we waiting for? Let's go!" I jumped up, catching everyone's attention. We all got right back into it, running the ship and heading back to Biot. When we got there, we still had time to kill until Hal would try to get through with our help.

"So what do we do until then?" Kilowogg asked, clearly bored.

"You could help me keep working on parts for Aya. I'm not an engineer so I'm kind of self-taught. C'mon you two, it's time to get your hands electrocuted." I say, leading them back to the scrap pile.

"You mean get our hands dirty, right?" Kilowogg asked, following behind.

"Nope."

"Great."

So after some trial and error, we nearly had all the pieces together. Aya let us know it was time to rendezvous. So we got into position and waited for the signal.

When Hal started to open the rift from his side, Kilowogg took it upon himself to open the gateway from our side. Just going to point out, the view into the other universe looked kind of pretty. Then Hal decided not to cross and then we were stuck sitting there. Hal can't even follow his own plans.

"Do you think there's another version of me in that parallel universe?" I asked, trying to distract us from Hal's impulsiveness.

"I hope not. One of you is enough trouble for 10 universes." Kilowogg playfully bantered.

"What? There's probably another version of you over there. He has probably hair." Such a weak insult.

So Aya then directed our attention to a new space anomaly not far off and she was picking up signals from Hal's ring. On the flight over, we speculated about what had happened to Hal. My money was on him stealing a ship that was full of anti- Anti-Monitor weaponry. But we were shocked when it turned out that Hal had brought a whole planet with him. I'm not even questioning it. Hal, just Hal ladies and gentlemen. With Hal back, Tomar-Re left to take the reports to the Guardians and I went back to work building Aya's body parts. Never a dull moment.


	3. Feeling Blue (Episode 17 Blue Hope)

So on our way Hal decided we needed to stop somewhere after we got attacked by a few Manhunters. Luckily, we managed to salvage one of them for data extraction. Oh, and I finished the last piece for Aya and now she had her body back. I hope she appreciates how many volts of electricity went through me to make those pieces.

"What's with the pit stop Jordan? Shouldn't we be taking care of our little Manhunter situation?" Kilowogg asked as we set foot on Odym. The place was quite blue. Made me feel at peace. Not hopeful. There is a distinct difference.

"I know, I know but there's an old friend that can seriously help out on our mission." Hal responded as a smiling Guardian came floating up.

"Ganthet?" Kilowogg couldn't believe his eyes. So that was Ganthet. Are we sure he's actually a Guardian? I mean I didn't know they could smile. Or look that happy. Or show emotion in general. Hal just went on unfazed while the rest of us stood in silence.

"Nice duds. So this is where you came after the Guardians kicked you off Oa?" Hal chatted with Ganthet.

"Yes. I realized that there's another path that I might serve the universe. I came to Odym to start the Blue Lantern Corp. This is Saint Walker." Ganthet explained as two Blue Lanterns showed up. My armor reflexively shifted colors, going from my usual gray sheen to a deep blue. Ganthet's eyebrow moved maybe a centimeter, but otherwise no reaction from anybody.

"Moonface! Ha-ha! Good to see you again buddy!" Kilowogg yelled, surging forward and picking up the Blue Lantern in one of his bear hugs. Or is it a pig hug?

"This is the guy I was telling you about. The one that helped me defeat the Red Lantern armada. Remember?" Kilowogg continued. I rolled my eyes of course. He wouldn't shut up about it when he finally got back from the asteroid field. Honestly, between him retelling that story about ten thousand times and missing Gi'ata, I had all the motivation I needed to hop a portal back to Zamaron ASAP.

"How can I forget?" Hal commented. See, sarcasm runs in the family!

"And this is our second Blue Lantern, Brother Warth." The floating elephant guy bowed while sitting in mediation repose in greeting. That takes a lot of coordination. And then the last thing I expected happened. Razer came trudging up to our little meet and greet. Maybe that's why I couldn't contact him. Blue counteracts Red, you understand right? Aya was definitely happy to see him. She just floated right over to him.

"Razer… this was not on my list of probable locations of where you had gone." Aya babbled. Yeah, she does that when she's around him and it's adorable. Thankfully those two know how to keep secrets or Kilowogg would have Razer in a headlock while Hal gave him "the talk". You know, that thing all dads give the guys that date their daughters. Or it might have been a different "talk". Don't know, don't want to.

"Nice to know you found your Zen bro." I said, not wanting to interrupt the little lovers' reunion. Part ribbing, part sincerity, all me.

"I didn't exactly have a plan in mind when I left." Razer answered for Aya. Those two really need to get a room. Wait, bad idea. Very, very bad idea.

"So this is where you ran off to? Who would have thought?" Kilowogg remarked, circling closer to Razer.

"It's… pleasant to see you all. Even you." Razer replied, turning to Kilowogg. The befuddled face Kilowogg made could be a book into itself, but I'm not that much of a person for eloquence.

"Looks like Razer," Kilowogg leaned in, sniffing. "Definitely smells like Razer. But you ain't acting like Razer. What have you done with the angry guy?"

"Hopefully destroyed him. The old Razer was responsible for great evil. I came to Odym to ask the Blue Lanterns for help. Since their power negates my own, I thought this would be a good place to become… someone else. Someone less angry." Razer answered, shame casting his head down. I could have told you that, considering it's the only reason he would come here. With some slight nudging. I just told him he could rid himself of that hate if he had some help. A lot of times. I don't think he got the hint until he opened up about Aya. To himself, not me. I figured it out for him, why would he need to tell me?

"That's great kid. And it's good to see you." Hal put his hand on Razer's shoulder, our usual sign of comradery. Then Ganthet ruined the family reunion.

"So Hal Jordan, what was this matter of business you wished to discuss?" Ganthet inquired, seeming to miss that we were in the middle of having a moment as a family.

"We have a problem I was hoping you could shed some light on," Hal explained as he led the group back into the Interceptor.

"We were ambushed near Zeta Prime by like two dozen of these guys. They're popping up like weeds all over Guardian space. These things are tough, but luckily Kilowogg's hammer is tougher." Hal continued as Ganthet inspected the Manhunter we had salvaged.

"Any job worth doing is worth doing right." Kilowoogg remarked, bravado making him stand taller.

After mulling it over for a second Ganthet asked Hal, "Why did you not take this to the council?"

"To be honest Ganthet, you're the only Guardian I trust after what they tried to do to Aya. I'm hoping you can help us find an Achilles' heel for these things." Hal answered. If Razer would have heard Hal say that he would've flipped. Luckily, he was out meditating with the Blue Lanterns and Aya. I was trying to come up with a way to nicely tell Razer what had happened but with Hal's mouth that idea might end up going out the window.

"We designed the Manhunters to be virtually invulnerable. But you did well to salvage this one. Perhaps with a thorough examination I can pinpoint additional defensive flaws. But first, there is something I would like to show you."

We followed Ganthet to a kind of cliff-side temple, which was only made more entertaining by the fact that Razer needed to be bridal carried by Aya since his power ring wasn't working. Like I said, they are adorable. Call me Cupid the Sarcastic.

"Wow." Hal said at the sight. Wow was an understatement. Ganthet had built a Blue Lantern Central Battery; like the ones on Oa, Shard, and the Mirror Lantern world. I'll call it by its proper name. Eventually.

"You have come at an opportune time as this is the day the battery becomes fully operational." Ganthet said, preparing himself to activate the Blue Lantern battery. Ganthet spoke the words, while I mouthed them from memory:

_In fearful day, in raging night,_

_With strong hearts full, our souls ignite._

_When all seems lost in the War of Light,_

_Look to the stars- For Hope burns bright!_

The blue wave of energy felt amazing. The guys started glowing like neon lights and I felt the ring accept the blue light into its make-up. That makes four colors now. While everyone was cheering about the new supercharge, I noticed something coming our way. I didn't have time to block because I still hadn't seen the attack. Stupid dodging thing only works when I'm aware of the attack. Turns out the blue energy has the same effect on Manhunters as it does Green Lanterns. I switched colors, feeling the green energy bloom in the presence of the Blue power. Now that was a fight. The Manhunter was wrecking everything in sight as we all tried to dodge its boosted attacks. Well, I didn't have to try to dodge this time. I sent it spinning with quick cross, then Hal launched it through the rock formation. Kilowogg took off to take his swing at it. With a massive hammer. Good old predictable Kilowogg. With it all smashed up, we could finally figure something else about these guys. Not to mention I picked up a new color and a new skill. Supercharging everybody when they needed it was going to make any upcoming fights real easy. So we took the wreck back to the Interceptor.

"How could this have happened?" Razer asked, shocked that Manhunter had even been capable of attacking.

"The Blue energy from the Central Battery must have supercharged its ability to repair itself." Ganthet proposed.

"That could be a good thing. Now we can interrogate it." Hal turned to the mangled machine in preparation.

"You want to interrogate a machine? Good luck conversing with wires and scrap metal." Razer interrupted. Wow, Razer, really? Especially when you AI girlfriend is standing right there? Don't get me wrong, we are friends but sometimes he's so dense I just want to… Anyways, back to what happened. Aya reactivated the Manhunter, and the ring gave me a kind of jolt. Or that could be muscle memory from rebuilding Aya.

"I have placed this Manhunter in remedial query mode. You may ask it questions." Aya, ever helpful.

"Alright, I'll go first," Hal stepped up," what is your PROBLEM?"

"Primary objective is to eradicate evil from the universe." The Manhunter replied.

"Try looking in a mirror, you trigger-happy bucket of bolts. Shiny, let him take a look in your armor." Kilowogg practically wagged his finger at the bot. Bad parenting there, Kilowogg. Telling a kid to stand by a killer machine, shame on you.

"Please restate." It answered.

"How do you determine what is evil?" Hal responded.

"Evil stems from emotion. Therefore emotion is evil. All emotion and those that protect emotions must be destroyed." It explained. Quality moral calculus, courtesy of the Guardians.

"Nice logic." Hal said, before Ganthet interrupted, "The Manhunters were designed to police the universe. But due to faulty programming, every emotional being was deemed criminal."

"Is there some way to fix them? Maybe they can be taught to tell the difference between right and wrong."

"That's impossible," Razer stated, "This thing isn't a living being. It's a robot, it's not able to learn or grow or feel pain. It doesn't have a soul."

"Is that your belief? That robots are not beings worthy of respect? That we are without souls?" Aya questioned Razer, clearly hurt by his words. Smooth Razer. Real smooth.

"Aya, I don't think that's what he was saying." Hal offered, trying to spare Razer some painful shame. Didn't work. Aya started walking out at that point.

"You're different Aya, I didn't mean…" Words failed Razer as guilt hit him like one of Kilowogg's hammers.

"Your thought processes are clear enough to me." Aya said as she left. Great, now I've got to break Razer's legs for hurting Aya. Think he would let me sign the casts? Razer moped off leaving Hal to fulfill his fatherly duties.

"Just our luck. We came here looking for a Manhunter weakness and found a way to make them even stronger." Hal muttered.

That night we all had something of a campfire cookout. So there's a root on Odym that tastes like marshmallow and I think I ate about 4 pounds of it before I went belly up over a log. No one else could tell, but from my strange position I could hear as Razer asked Saint Walker something that clearly needed to be asked.

"Saint Walker, do you believe robots have souls?" Razer dropped into the lotus position, obviously trying to calm the turbulent emotions inside him.

"I believe we all are robots, of a sort. Each of us is programmed in our own special way. But I do not believe this question is the one you wish answered." Saint Walker, peaceful sage and licensed self-help guru.

"And what might that be?"

"Is it acceptable to love again if your first and true love has died?"

"I did not share information about my past so you could throw it in my face. Besides, you presume too much Saint Walker. Aya is a machine. She cannot love. Whatever I feel for her is a lie." Wow, Razer, just wow. Does that mean all those times I walked in on you and Aya kissing on Oa was just your way of greeting her? I've been experimenting with my ability to use emotional connections for a while and I had found that I could see the emotions that bound certain people together. But only if the emotion was very strong. Which in Razer and Aya's case, it was. Now if only I could get Razer to let me use it on him so he could see how much he's been lying to himself. But some people are gluttons for self-punishment.

"Razer your life's journey has been marred by despair and anger. Hope can help with that. Hope in a new path that will lead you to love once again." Couldn't have said it any better myself Saint Walker. I watched as Razer seemed to mull it over before leaving Saint Walker to his strumming. The guy loves to play his blue whatever it's called. So now that my spying on Razer was done, I headed back to the ship, leaving Hal and Kilowogg to tell stories and reminisce with Ganthet. But then I noticed Aya was up to something.

"Aya? What are you doing?" I asked as she activated the Manhunter.

"Please do not tell anyone you have seen me brother." She replied as she hefted the broken robot onto her shoulders.

"You know I wouldn't. If this about what Razer said, I can just hurt him for you." I told her as she passed by.

"I would prefer he remained unharmed." Aya answered as she left. Razer, if you're listening to this, I mean this with all the brotherly love I have: Quit screwing up with Aya. Seriously, it's bad for the both of you and if that doesn't get past your thick skull I'll make you listen. With a fist upside your head.

So since I didn't want to lie or get caught near the scene of the crime, I decided now was a nice time to explore the rest of the planet. About a few hours into the flight, I got blasted from my blind side. A supercharged Manhunter, this one intact. I fought it as best I could, dodging and mixing up my attacks with different colors and trying everything I could to wear it down. But it was too strong for me. It knocked me down, ordering me to relinquish the device that had supercharged it. I know it meant Blue Lantern Battery but I was not going to tell it that. I had an idea, something I had found when I went back to the Mirror Lantern world and reignited the Battery. Don't worry, I did that on my own long before I joined up again. I found out some really cool things. Including that I could change how many Mirror Lanterns there are. In our case, the ring may find you but it's still your choice to put it on and accept the responsibility of it. And I don't exactly have time to start training and recruiting with all the evil robots running around. I'm off-topic again. I'll tell this story another time. I knew I had one shot at this, considering it would use all but the last of my ring's power.

"Here, I'm wearing it." I motioned to my ring. All the while calling up every bit of emotion I could. I called on the whole spectrum and it made my ring start to go all rainbow.

"Relinquish it." The Manhunter stepped forward, attempting to complete its objective. Right in striking range.

"Relinquish this." I thrust my ring into its chest. The Manhunter jerked, its systems cycling in response to the new energies I poured into it. After a few seconds, I felt my legs give out but the Manhunter caught me.

"Thank you for this opportunity." It declared, cradling me to its large chest. It had worked, I had successfully given it emotions and the freedom of choice. That was exhausting. And now I have a Manhunter that wanted to be alive. I'll figure out something to do with him eventually. When I'm not facing death.

"Thanks, though I'm a little exhausted from that big guy. Think you can help me get back to my friends?" I asked it, my vision going a little blurry. Boy this was exhausting.

"Of course, however several of my brethren have also landed in search of the device." It explained as it began to fly us back.

"The others can take care of that. By the way, what should I call you? You're not exactly a Manhunter anymore."

"My designation was MH-1573."

"Emmitt it is then. C'mon Emmitt the crew is going to flip about this."

We kept flying in silence and eventually I had enough energy to just fly alongside my new friend. Hal was going to kill me for puling this stunt. We arrived at the Battery only to see ruin and a lone Manhunter standing damaged. Where did the battery go? Aya flew in and started talking to the lone Manhunter. No one had noticed that Emmitt and I were there yet.

"Correct. Your primary objective has failed. But you as an artificial life-form can take this moment to choose alternative programming." Aya told the Manhunter.

"Perhaps you could help my former sibling, as you did me." Emmitt inquired as Razer ran over to Aya.

"I can't. Not this soon anyhow. It nearly killed me to help you Emmitt." I stated, watching the standoff between the two ideologies. My vision went weird and the tethers appeared in my vision. I could see the love that bonded them together. Which is why I wasn't fully shocked that the Manhunter attacked Aya. Still shocked though, don't get me wrong. She hadn't been expecting it, so she took its full force and was knocked from the air.

Razer's rage flared so strongly I saw it force the hope out of the very air.

"No!" Razer screamed at the universe. His rage flowing outward and protecting him from the Manhunter's follow-up attack. He blasted the thing's arm off, and brutally smashed a cord of energy through its head. He then entangled it and whipped it through the air, reducing it to tiny chunks of scrap and smoke. He calmed down and went to Aya's side, grief quelling some of his rage. When Aya stirred in his arms. Emmitt and I took the moment to meet up with the group. Luckily Aya was fine. A little too okay considering she tried to shoot Emmitt over Razer's shoulder. I blocked that attack as everyone turned to us. Hal and Kilowogg tried to attack but I projected a full sphere shield.

"What the hell are you doing Shiny? Those things attacked us!" Kilowogg yelled as he beat on the shield.

"I apologize for what my former brethren did. But I am not like them." Emmitt argued as the shield started to crack.

"They attacked Aya and you would let one live?" Razer snarled as his rage built up again.

"Emmitt is not like them. He's sentient and he feels emotion, just like Aya. He wants to help!" I yelled, grabbing Kilowogg's hammer as it broke through my shield. Too close for comfort!

"If your allies do not wish my help, I will leave peacefully." Emmitt said, floating away from Hal's attacks but not fighting as random shots pinged off of his armor.

"Will you stop?" I screamed, a massive chain construct binding everyone, even the Blue Lanterns.

"Listen to me. I brought Emmitt over there out of the lock that his programming had him in. Now he wants to help. He's like Razer. You know, penitent and all that atoning jazz. HE WANTS TO HELP US STOP THE FUCKING BAD MANHUNTERS!" I was practically shrieking at this.

"All right, jeez no need to yell." Hal muttered. Razer just kind of stared accusingly at me but I brushed it off. He has his reasons, I have mine.

"Thank you." I let them all go and everyone eventually came around to the idea. And Razer wanted to come along even more now.

"You should stay and continue your training Razer. There is still much anger within you." Saint Walker told Razer as I was showing Emmitt his new home. What? He's part of the crew now. We can't only have a female robot on board. Equal rights and stuff like that.

"There are many kinds of anger. In this case, I believe my rage was righteous. You have helped me realize my path lies elsewhere." I could see Razer making puppy-dog eyes at Aya even from where I was standing. And Aya was smiling back at him. Those two just really need to up and say what needs to be said. Not that Hal or Kilowogg noticed as they loaded up on supplies. I hope they grabbed a bunch of those marshmallow roots.

"Get a move on kid. We've got Manhunter heads to bust." Kilowogg told Razer.

"You will always have a place here Razer. If you choose it." Saint Walker reminded Razer. Razer nodded, and went to Aya. And when they thought no one was watching, they held hands up the ramp.

Like I said, they are adorable and just need to say it to each other.


	4. Fishy (Episode 18 Prisoner of Sinestro)

"So you managed to put a piece of your soul into our new friend?" Hal asked me. I started turning my ring around on my finger. Bad habit, but it calms me.

"Yeah, don't think I can do it again. It's a Mirror Lantern thing." I told him.

"Can we just get a list of things you can do please? I mean honestly you keep getting more and more of them." Kilowogg groaned.

"My powers are determined by the Lanterns I come into contact with and my fellow corps members. If you guys stop taking me on adventures and introducing me to more and more Lantern Corps we wouldn't have this problem." I fire back. Bad parenting at its finest. Or no actual parenting in my case.

"But we need someone with all that power anyways. Plus it wouldn't be the same without you." Hal conceded.

"Anyways it's time for a review of Green Lantern protocols." Kilowogg continued, picking up a checklist and looking at all of us.

"And I'm out of here. Emmitt wants some help making pieces that make him look less… scary." I said, quickly leaving the bridge behind. It wasn't a lie, I just didn't want to go through a Kilowogg pop quiz. So while that happened, Emmitt and I continued the revisions to his form. We had slimmed him down and with a little help from Aya we had managed to make him a new face that was capable of expressing his newfound emotions. So after we finished making the changes to make his fingers more maneuverable, we went back up and skirted the pending nag-fest between Kilowogg and Hal. Aya and Razer were sitting together again.

"Razer, I am glad that you have returned to the ship. That is, I am pleased that you completed your task on Odym." Aya told him as Emmitt and I watched. It had become something of a game for me. A very serious game, don't get me wrong. Watching them and explaining things for Emmitt. I've never been so proud of him. He's been learning a lot and he's even been helping us fend off any Manhunter attacks. Emmitt not Razer. I'm proud of Razer for starting to realize he can have emotions. Makes me feel like I'm actually accomplishing something besides annoying Hal and Kilowogg.

"On the contrary, the Blue Lanterns were unable to help me purge rage from my heart. It changed nothing." Razer, the master of self-depreciation. Give him a round of applause.

"Perhaps that is for the best. I… All of us prefer you remain unchanged. Perhaps I can help you in your scans for the Anti-Monitor." Aya reached for his hand, but Razer pulled away. What's that one movie that Hal likes to reference say? Search your feelings Razer, you know this to be true. Did I get that right? Doesn't matter.

"No. I will work more efficiently alone." Razer needed to stop being idiotic but it's not my place. It is however, my place to beat him up if he actually hurts her. Here's hoping they figure it out. Luckily Razer was saved another lecture from me about his circumstances by a call from a Green Lantern named Sinestro. Scary name. The ensuing argument was very enlightening. Sinestro was a powerful Lantern and he was very much like Hal and Kilowogg disliked him. At least that's the information I got between the raised voices. Taking the call was interesting, the guy had time to call us while trapped and evading capture on board a Spider Guild ship. At least if it came down to a prison break we had six people. So we had to rescue him. Hal did some fancy flying, quick battle of quips with the Warden of the ship and a fly by the seat escape from a self-destructing ship. Something like this would normally be thought impossible for most people, but I'm used to it. Hal always gets us into interesting situations. Emmitt decided it would be better if he wasn't seen as anyone that didn't know better would attack on sight. With Sinestro aboard, we wanted to keep friendly fire down. To liven up the mood, I decided I would show up in my Star Sapphire uniform. At least Razer wouldn't stand out as much. Sinestro had just put the prisoner in the cell when Razer and I came in to meet Sinestro.

"I'd hardly call there primitive devices tech." Razer stated as matter-of-factly as he could. He was talking about some hunk of junk the Spider guild called a weapon.

"Sinestro, this is Razer. A Red Lantern who's on our side now." Hal explained to Sinestro, who looked at Razer and me with bemusement.

"You keep a keep a Red Lantern mascot on the Guardian's most advanced prototype ship. Have I taught you nothing? And the pink guy? I'm not even going to ask." Sinestro commented. Razer was not the only one who got mad at that comment.

"Razer's done some very good work. I can vouch for him. And that's Erin, and he normally doesn't look like that. Missing your girl?" Hal said, questioning me. I shot him a dirty look as Aya came in.

"And that's Aya. Our ship's AI." Hal continued, unfazed by my antics. I guess he got used to it.

"Welcome aboard Green Lantern Sinestro. Do you require any refreshment?" Aya asked, holding a tray with a smoothie on it. When did she have time to make a giant smoothie?

"Leave it to you both to turn the fastest weapon in the universe into some sort of day spa." Sinestro sarcastically told Hal. I thought I could be annoying, but Sinestro took it to another level.

"This ain't no day spa. No one's getting soft here." Kilowogg swiped up the smoothie and took a drink angrily. Tension, quick way to thicken the air.

"Let's get down to business. What's the deal with Neuroxis here?" Hal cutting in to the macho stare downs.

"The truth is I'm not sure. But he's a wanted criminal and I'm an obedient Green Lantern so I'm taking him to Oa." Sinestro answered.

"Obedient Green Lantern. Ha, good one." Hal remarked.

"Looks like it's asleep. Guess the little guy's tuckered out from all the excitement." Kilowogg pointed out.

"So Sinestro I was just telling everybody about the time you stole my thunder at the battle of Kund. Do you remember that time in…?" Hal idolized this guy. But something about that mustache made me nervous. I don't know why, I just know it did.

"Yes, a great battle. What memories. Excuse me. I must rest." Sinestro up and left after that little interruption.

"Guess taking over a Spider Guild frigate can take it out of anyone." Hal covered for his idol. Kilowogg grunted.

"Don't let him get any funny ideas. You know, he was eyeing up my ring and I kind of need that to live." I told Hal, as we headed back to the bridge.

A quick search of the databases turned up nothing. Then the power cut out. Sabotage apparently. I got a few looks from them. I didn't teach Emmitt where they were or how to disable them. I'm trusting but not stupid. Then we heard something charging, and Razer turned in time to get shot by Sinestro. He was using the Spider Guild weapon and was using it well. Hal tried to talk to him while we scattered. Aya went to Razer's side and Kilowogg took Sinestro back with a construct. Hal went to help Kilowogg and I tried to salvage some of the damaged systems. Nada. Luckily Razer got up and jumped into the fight. And Hal and Kilowogg needed him to save them. Glad I managed to get there in time for Razer to take care of it.

"This is one of your greatest Green Lanterns?" Razer sarcastically asked. I agreed with that sentiment.

"Anyone can have a bad day." Hal, even after being attacked, he covers for Sinestro. Maybe Kilowogg was right to not like Sinestro. We took his ring, and put Sinestro in the cell. Aya went down to secure the Spider Guild tech and Razer followed. My guess is he was going to use his private time to finally confess his feelings to Aya. So we all set to work fixing the controls. We all picked up a little knowledge from our time on the ship. After a while, Aya came back and she seemed confused. Did Razer screw something up?

"Everyone, I just had had strangest encounter with Razer." Aya initiated the conversation. Yep, Razer screwed up somehow.

"Strange in what way?" Hal asked. Papa Hal to the rescue.

"He was very… friendly." Aya responded. Wait, Razer flirting? Something wasn't right.

"Oh. Uhm, that's nothing to be worried or ashamed of. You see Aya, some carbon-based life forms have these things called hormones." Hal started to explain. And let the tailspin begin.

"Did you receive the weapon Razer said you requested?" Aya interrupted Hal. Thank God for that. Wait, what?

"I didn't ask for any weapon." Hal replied.

"Some weird stuff going on around here." Kilowogg muttered.

"You go find Razer; Kilowogg keep on the repairs; Aya and I will finish the talk." I told Hal. He looked surprised I had taken charge like that. Good, he needs that sometimes. So I tried to explain it away from Kilowogg.

"Okay, so you and Razer have kissed. You trust me enough to let me know that. But Razer flirting wouldn't normally happen. I've been trying to get him to admit it to himself, but he wouldn't flirt. Something's wrong and we need to figure that out because Kilowogg said it right. There is something strange here. We'll finish the talk after we're all safe." I told her, and she nodded.

"Kilowogg, get down here." Hal called over the intercom.

"I'm guessing Razer did something." I told Kilowogg as he grudgingly went to find Hal. I took over the repairs and Aya went back to programming and searching for answers. Somehow I missed Sinestro breaking in and talking to Aya. I came out from under the console and Sinestro was just standing there.

"No one on this vessel is behaving predictably. Except Erin." Aya told Sinestro.

"That's almost an insult sis. I always act unpredictably." I pointed out.

"So someone else finally noticed." Sinestro grabbed his ring, turning back into a Green Lantern.

"It's that alien Neuroxis. He's what's called a mind-jumper. It's a being that can take over another's body at will." Sinestro explained as he showed us the cell.

"That explains why he didn't jump into me. Failsafe in my ring would have killed us both." I pointed out. Not a lie, not the whole truth. It wouldn't survive and I would get to come back again once it died. And I don't think it's suicidal.

"And Aya is incapable of being possessed, which means you two are our only guarantees." Sinestro followed up with.

"When a Lantern is possessed the rings don't work. The only way to force it out of the crew is to depressurize the whole ship." Sinestro explained his plan.

"But the person possessed would die without the atmosphere." Aya worried. Thank goodness that someone actually cared about that in the room besides me.

"One of the skills I picked up when I was with the Sapphires is healing using the violet light. The body and brain don't die right away so maybe I can revive them after we force Neuroxis if it comes to that." I volunteer. Okay, maybe I do need a list. We went down to confront the others.

"I have a better idea." Sinestro called, getting everyone's attention.

"How'd he get out?" Kilowogg asked.

"Never mind that. The sound you are hearing is this room and the entire ship depressurizing. I've only just finished piecing it together. I was briefed by the Guardians that Neuroxis was one of the most wanted assassins in the universe. But even they completely underestimated what he was capable of. So did I. It was Neuroxis that took over the Spider Guild captain and caused him to destroy his own ship. Shortly after I came aboard the Interceptor, it took over my mind as well. The victim doesn't remember what happens when under Neuroxis' power. It will do the same to everyone. Picking us off, one by one. But do not fear, I have an absolute test to see who the alien is inhabiting. We purge the ship of oxygen. The real Lanterns among us will be protected by our power rings' life support fields. Neuroxis will not. The criminal cannot jump into Aya or Erin. The only choice it will have is to go back to its own body in the Sciencell. The one room on the ship that will remain pressurized." Quite the monologue.

"How can we be so sure Neuroxis isn't controlling you right now?" Hal asked. Fair point. So Sinestro blew up the Spider Guild weapon. Nice show of force. Everyone activated their fields except Razer. Brain-fish was hiding in him. Was it wrong to have a craving for sushi at that moment?

Watching Razer choke was the hardest thing to do. I'm not going to lie, it hurt me deeply that the only way to save Razer was to nearly kill him.

"Green Lantern Sinestro. We must re-pressurize the vessel." Aya said, moving for Razer. I grabbed her by the shoulder.

"It's not him, sis. We need to wait." I resignedly told her. Holding her back was even harder than watching.

"What if you're wrong Sinestro? What if he doesn't leave?" Hal asked.

"Criminals have a keen sense of preservation, Jordan. Plus that's why Erin is here." Sinestro coolly replied. Hal didn't like that answer. And Sinestro was overestimating my healing skills.

"What's it going to be Neuroxis? If you want to live, the only pressurized space on this ship is in the Sciencell. I give you my word as a Green Lantern, you will not be harmed. Now go." Hal ordered the assassin inside Razer. Razer's body just flopped and gasped.

"We must re-pressurize the area now!" Aya was panicking, and shouldn't she? I can't exactly fix death.

"Not yet." Sinestro practically ordered. Razer nearly died before Neuroxis left. The brain-fish left just in time and Razer's life-support field came up. I let Aya go so she could go to him. Together we managed to get Razer up and start making sure he was fine.

"Razer, what is your status?" Aya's concern for him was definitely warranted.

"I'll live; but I feel like Kilowogg looks." Razer wisecracked. Nothing like near-death to give you a sense of humor.

"Always with the smart mouth." Kilowogg grunted.

"Wait, where did Sinestro go?" Hal asked, the first to realize that he was gone. Once Razer reassured us he was fine, we went to find him. Apparently Neuroxis had suffocated. Is it wrong to want him dead? I don't know. We dropped off Sinestro back on Oa and soon we back to normal operations. So I got back to my usual sneaking and interfering.

I let Aya and Razer talk but I wasn't out of earshot. Can't be too careful.

"Did I do anything strange while under the influence of Neuroxis?" Razer asked, worried.

"Other than trying to kill your fellow Green Lanterns?" Aya specified.

"Yes, did I… harm you?"

"I should have known you were not yourself. Erin suspected something."

"What? Why?"

"You expressed interest in spending time with me." I heard Aya coming so I ducked away. Once she left, I found Razer moping.

"You know this wouldn't hurt as much if you would just tell her." I told him.

"What gave it away?"

"The fact that you love her or that you weren't being you?"

"Both."

"I'm an agent of love and you seem to forget that I can see people's love for each other. You give off quite the violet-blue tether whenever you look at her and you think no one's looking. How I knew it wasn't you was because you tried flirting with her. I know you well enough to say that you wouldn't waste time with that. You would tell her and kiss her and probably never let her go. Your that kind of sappy romantic."

"You are insufferable. You do know that?"

"I wouldn't be your best friend if I wasn't. I think I will let you take your time to sort this out."

"Aren't you supposed to be an agent of love?" Razer called out as I left.

"I can only point you in the right direction. You have to take the steps yourself." I fired back, leaving him completely behind. That's when Hal called for me to meet him. I found him at the table and Kilowogg was sitting there.

"Is this about the list thing? Because I swear I'm working on it." I said defensively.

"No, it's a talk we've been meaning to have. About you." Hal motioned to a chair. I sat across from him and Kilowogg.

"Well?"

"You do know that Aya isn't actually your sister."

"I'm not an idiot Hal." Contrary to popular opinion I have a fully functional brain. I just choose to not use most of the higher functions. Who needs to plan ahead?

"Just checking. You do have a history of… confusion."

"Let me explain this to you once. I know Aya is not my sister. But you know on Earth that your family doesn't have to be bound by blood. I've come to think of you guys as my family. I didn't have anyone who cared for me until you guys. So yeah, I think of Aya as my little sister. Hal, you and Kilowogg might as well be my fathers." I tell him.

"Oh, well… I forgot about that. You really think that highly of us?" Kilowogg looked at his friend and back at me.

"Of course. You guys taught me so much and if it wasn't for you guys, I would never have found out who I was. Without you guys, I…. I wouldn't be who I am." I felt their hands on my shoulders. I looked up to both of them standing over me and smiling.

"So does this mean I can you guys Pops?" I joked, earning a short laugh from all of us.

"Not on your life." Kilowogg said, and gave me a playful shove. Everything was going to be fine.


	5. Last Steps (Episode 19 Loss)

"So let me get this straight. We're flying back into Red Lantern space, which is pretty dumb to start with. But even dumber, is we're coming back to be part of some ceremony? It's like sticking your face near an eye-blinder strike vine." Kilowogg said to Hal while I was busy putting the finishing touches on Emmitt. It had cost me a lot of sleepless nights to get all the alterations done. (What am I talking about? I don't sleep anyways.)

"Keep an open mind. This isn't just any ceremony, this is the creation of a peace treaty. Our presence is a symbol of the newly formed alliance between the Red and Green Lanterns. A chance for peace in the galaxy for generations to come." Hal elaborated, throwing a little pizzazz into it.

"Query: Why is a peace treaty necessary for the Red and Green Lanterns to coexist? Should not all Lantern peacefully work to protect emotion?" Emmitt asked with his new voice. I had installed it yesterday and Aya told me he sounded like someone from Earth named Batman. I think he's one of those weird guys that Hal hangs out with on Earth, just going off the name. Hal and Kilowogg jumped, just realizing we were there.

"You are all done Emmitt. What do you think?" I asked while the Green Lanterns recovered.

"I find it more enjoyable and suitable to my tasks." He told me, turning to survey the entirety of his updated form. He now stood as tall as Kilowogg but was approximately more Razer's body shape. His arms now showed off his silver-gray "skin" with indigo wristbands that held his stick cannons. His chest piece had been reformed to look more humanoid and now proudly displayed the Mirror Lantern symbol (He asked for it. I'm not that vain. Yet.). His thickened legs were now free under indigo shorts with an indigo kneecap and short boots. His head now consisted of a thick-featured face with minor protrusions suggesting ear covers and a solid indigo helmet (He chose his color scheme, not me. For some reason he likes indigo. I don't know why, I don't ask questions).

"A long time ago, Manhunters nearly wiped out their people and so the Red Lanterns took their revenge on any Green Lantern they could find because both were symbols of the Guardians' authority." Kilowogg turned to the former Manhunter. I could see the guilt radiate across Emmitt's face. It wasn't his fault yet he still felt responsible.

"I am sorry to hear that. To know that my former brethren caused so much death on both sides bereaves me." Emmitt replied, his face crestfallen.

"Once again, I will stay on the ship to prevent further hostilities." Emmitt continued, sadly stalking away.

"Wait Emmitt! It's not like that. You don't look like a Manhunter so it should be fine." I told him, looking to Hal and Kilowogg for confirmation. After they gave each other a look, Hal gave me the thumbs-up. To see Emmitt smile made the day that much better. We all headed to the bridge. Emmitt really wanted to show off his new look. Even Aya hadn't seen it fully assembled yet. Instead we found Razer moping and Aya watching him looking forlorn. I didn't know Aya could even make that facial expression.

"What's eating him?" I asked Aya as Hal went over closer to Razer.

"He wishes to ask something but refuses to share." Aya replied promptly.

"What's up with you?" Hal asked, concerned for our brooding teammate.

"I-I would like to request that we make a stop. There is a planet, very nearby." Razer couldn't turn to meet Hal's eyes, so I could guess where he wanted us to go. Razer wasn't always forthcoming, but from what I had managed to gather from the tiny pieces of personal history he let slip, he wanted to go home.

"Sure thing, kid. We're early. What's it all about?" Hal asked, not knowing he was intruding on Razer's personal history.

"I'm sorry, but it's personal." Razer remarked. Yep, definitely his home planet. That's where he wanted to go to. And Hal was understanding of the need, even if he didn't have a good reason to be.

Flying over those ruins must have been hard for Razer. Villages, cities, roads, and all manner of piecemeal sections of civilization laying in disrepair. He immediately left as soon as we touched down and unbeknownst to him, Aya followed him. And unbeknownst to anyone else, I followed her. I used a construct and Emmitt's help to convince the Green Lanterns I was still aboard, tinkering and electrocuting myself as always happened when I tried my hand at engineering without supervision. Following someone that's following someone else is really hard. You think tailing a single person is hard, try doing it while they do the same thing. Not easy at all.

Eventually Razer ducked into the skeleton of an old home and then Aya trailed him in. Not wanting to be seen, I stayed by a crack in the wall that let me see in with no problem.

"Razer." Aya stated, gaining his attention. She continued once he had fully acknowledged her, "I apologize for following you."

"No, it is all right Aya. I just did not hear you come in." Razer said, seemingly lost in thought.

"This place. I know what happened here. This is where your love, Ilana, ceased to live. I shared this memory. I shared this pain." Aya said, walking to his side but still not right next to him.

"Yes."

"I am intruding upon your grief. I will go." Aya turned to leave. I practically screamed in frustration. Why couldn't they just say it and let it bloom with the power of a million stars? I think that was too poetic for my sarcastic nature. Living with the Sapphires might have changed me more than I will admit.

"No, Aya." Razer caught her hand. This was it. Moment of truth time. "Wait. Don't go."

Aya turned to him as he continued. "I do mourn Ilana, but that was a different life. And I was a different person. I am not the man who chose hate all those years ago. I have changed in so many ways. Thanks to you. Come, there is something I wish to show you." Razer led her out of my view and I was forced to change hiding spots. A quick update from Emmitt told me that Hal was searching for us and I told him to run interference for me. Back to Razer and Aya. He led her to a small bush, just barely old enough to bloom.

"This was once a dead world. But life is returning." Razer plucked a small flower from the bush, giving it to Aya. These two were so close to happiness, to what they needed. All they needed was to take that last step.

"It…it is beautiful." Aya said, holding it gently in her hands. I could see them staring into each other's eyes for a second, then Razer came close and pulled Aya to him. I watched them have their first sincere kiss. I don't think I will ever forget that moment. Those two in such a simple and yet defining moment. The violet light of their love was so strong I was almost blinded by it. They broke off, smiling until Hal put a damper on things.

"Aya and Razer, we gotta fly. The Guardian on Ysmault just called having a cold, emotionless freak-out. We have to get there ASAP. Oh, and see if you can find Erin. He isn't responding and all I could find was one of his construct clones." Hal told them, and promptly hung up. They looked at each other and then around to see if they could catch me spying. Which they almost did, but I got saved by a pile of rubble shifting on the other side of the house. I beat them back to the Interceptor and calmly greeted them as they returned. Hal was suspicious of course, but I knew how to avoid his questions. We landed and the Guardian was very pissy about our arrival time.

"What took you so long? There's a horrible problem, and… what is that doing here?" The little gnome pointed at Aya. I think Razer and I had the same instinctive impulse. You know, to snap her like a twig. But hey, she didn't notice Emmitt so I couldn't really complain. Not out loud.

"That's kind of a funny story…" Hal started only to be cut off by the female Science Director. Fancy title like that made me realize that she was the one that probably ordered Aya's execution back on Oa. I felt my own color shift from violet to red for a moment. Not that the others noticed.

"Enough 2814 (Hal for the ones that don't know). I thought I ended this AI experiment once and for all. You've made our situation infinitely more complicated." She harrumphed at us. How could something so angry still focus on floating?

"Then explain it to us. Slowly" Razer used his deadly tone. The one that he uses when he's barely keeping his anger in check. I got familiar with it the last time we were out to fix Guardian mistakes (aka The Red Lantern thing).

"This project was terminated because it deviated from normal acceptable parameters. The AI is too unpredictable." She answered Razer while looking at Hal for an explanation. To which Hal immediately put on his mitts and accepted the challenge.

"Aya is a necessary member of my crew. End of story." Take that one, gnome. I really hope my disdain for the Guardians comes across clear. Especially if they are part of the audience.

"I will deal with that issue later. A much more serious situation demands our immediate attention. I've discovered a Manhunter. Here. On Ysmault. This Manhunter is active. Malfunctioning but operational." The Guardian's eyes flitted across the crew. I made sure to give her my best death stare. Aga'po taught me that.

"That's no surprise. Those tin cans have been popping up and turning on all over the galaxy."

"Which is the reason you must handle this one. It is buried at these coordinates. I'm overdue at the peace banquet. Take care of it quietly. If an operational Manhunter were to turn on Ysmault on today of all days, the Red Lanterns would surely blame us. And it would be war all over again." Then she left, presumably for the banquet. We took off as Aya navigated and the rest of us got ready for a fight.

But when we got to the coordinates, no Manhunter, only a hand. Bad news. Kilowogg pointed out the fleeing evil toaster and we gave chase. It was on a course for Ysmault and we barely managed to catch up in time. Razer tackled it into the ground, striking with enough force to wake the dead. Razer threw it away from the city and gave chase, only to be blasted back. Aya immediately got even with the Manhunter, protective as always. The Manhunter slammed into an adjacent cliff, giving us a lovely overview of the city as we fought. Hal hooked it and then Kilowogg, Emmitt and I finished it with a tag-team combo worthy of any arcade fighting game. Unfortunately, Zox found us while we were getting rid of the pieces.

"Manhunter!" The beach ball of an alien screamed.

"This is so not what it looks like." Hal started to explain. I feel like his explanation involved a corny joke and a talk about Earth sports, but I was too busy disposing of the scrap to hear.

"I knew it. I knew it all along. This was some kind of sneak attack."

"Whoa, you've got it all wrong big, round guy. Let's go to the…"

"Treachery! Guards, we've been betrayed! Where are my guards? The Green Lanterns are not to be trusted! Do you hear me? I am the prime Magis…" His rant was cut short by Kilowogg's hammer. Only temporarily you see. No need for an additional diplomatic incident (if warranted, in my opinion). So we stashed the two problems on the ship. And when Zox woke up, Hal shut him up with a tape construct. Inspired idea.

When the Guardian got back, she was livid. Then Aya told us of an incoming Manhunter wake-up call. Which was coming from the Maelstrom, aka the asteroid field that Atrocitus blew up way back we only had to worry about the Red Lanterns as enemies. Hal's brilliant idea was for us to go after the Anti-Monitor, the big baddie that blew him up the last time we saw it. While we stayed back at recon distance, the Guardian chose now to tell us that Anti-Monitor was made a by a Guardian. And these are the people we let lead us? Seriously? Seriously? Watching that thing feed was nightmarish, and still Zox didn't believe us. And then it found out that we were there so in my opinion, it was time to panic. Especially when it started to head in our direction. With a bunch Manhunter bogeys on our tail, we left as much space as we could between us and the baddies. Too bad they caught up.

"C'mon boys, everybody out. We've got to hold them off until Aya is ready. You want to help Zox (which he didn't.)?" Hal ordered us on the run.

"Razer." Aya called out, stopping Razer in his tracks and making me nearly run him over. "Be careful." A nod and a more motivated burst of speed from Razer was the answer she got.

We attacked as one. Which was good because that was a split fight for all of us. Five on five on top of the Interceptor. As we knocked them off, more just kept coming. Tag-teams were our only strategy as we fought them. Razer got too far away and he got separated from us. When Hal sounded the retreat, Razer became trapped between groups of Manhunters. I barely had time to try and get to him before Aya blasted right by me. Emmitt was off hot on Hal's tail so it looked like we were running in threes for survival. Razer was putting up a good fight, but he was getting tired.

Aya reached him first, clearing the attackers who had blasted him into an asteroid. I kept running distractions to keep more of them from noticing those two. And what I witnessed was the single greatest act of love I've seen. Aya saw the Anti-Monitor's attack before even I did. And she pushed Razer out of the way, sealing her fate. Her scream still haunts my nightmares. It was bloodcurdling, full of the kind of pain that can only be experienced once. Razer raced to her side as I booked it to them. This couldn't happen, not now. Not to her. Not to him. Why did the universe hate us so much?

"Aya," Razer pleaded as he held her and I floated nearby. I could see the damage was extensive. Too extensive. "I will fly you back to the Interceptor."

"Too late, Razer." Aya told him, "Only 29.5 seconds of existence remain." Not like this, not like this; I pleaded with any higher being or force that would hear my prayers.

"Download yourself to the ship!" Razer begged her, desperate to save her.

"Impossible. Distance too great."

"Aya," He clutched her to his chest. "Don't go. I love you. I love you Aya." He finally said it and the universe does this? Perhaps there is no justice in the universe.

"Razer, I-I now understand the meaning of regret. I never…" Aya didn't finish her sentence as she died in his arms. All he could do was watch her pieces float away into the void. He clutched her helmet to his as the Anti-Monitor moved in to finish us both off. But Hal saved us, coming to the rescue at the last second. They grabbed me and I grabbed Razer. It was a miracle that he managed to hold onto her helmet as we were pulled through space. But it wouldn't bring her back. Aya was dead.


	6. All In (Episode 20 Cold Fury)

Shock kept me silent as we were reeled in to the Interceptor's hold. Razer didn't say a thing as he cradled Aya's helmet to his chest. The tears in his eyes were words enough between us. Before Razer could hurry up to the bridge, I grabbed his shoulder. I felt my now usual violet become blood-red as he turned back to me.

"It will pay for this Razer. I swear it." I told, my fury was barely being held in check by the desire for revenge. Together we made our way up to the Interceptor. Hal turned to us as we entered together. He didn't see Aya's helmet in Razer's hands or he wouldn't have said anything.

"Now that we're all here, we leave." Hal told the assembled people, looking to us for answers.

"Razer, where is Aya?" Hal asked us and Razer unfolded his hands, revealing her helmet for everyone to see.

"She's gone." Razer said flatly as he sat down, staring at her helmet.

"What do you mean Aya's gone? And why do you have her helmet?"

"I mean she's gone." I could hear the emotions wanting to break through Razer's thinned walls.

"Where is she?" Hal was getting fed up. I think we had enough rage for the club now.

"She's dead! She came out of the ship to rescue me and that thing killed her!" Razer cried at him, tears flowing freely now down his cheeks. Hal stepped back, pulling back from Razer and mine's aura of red energy.

"I'm going to see that thing die. I don't care how as long as it's painful." I darkly promised Hal. The shock on Hal's face and the immediate denial from Kilowogg didn't help.

"You mean her body is gone?" Kilowogg sounded like he was pleading with us. I shook my head as they tried to deny what Razer and I had seen.

"Right, she probably downloaded back into the ship. Aya? Aya?" Hal begged the console to respond. It was sad, and pathetic, and desperate.

"It was too far to do that." Razer looked down in shame, "She's dead."

"She was just a kid." Kilowogg, the old-war horse managed to hold the grief back for the moment.

"What were you doing so far away? I ordered you back to the ship." Hal blamed Razer. I shoved Hal back from Razer, defending him.

"We were doing what we were ordered to Hal. By you!" I blazed with the red energy. Grief made me not care anymore. All I wanted was vengeance.

"You think this is my fault? Then say that! Don't mince words! Say that! One time!" Razer slipped into his own rage and flared with power beside me. Our rage mingled in the air, forming a thick blanket of red.

"Stop!" The gnome had guts, I'll say that. Stepping between three Lanterns who were a single word from murdering each other.

"We have no time for this! Though you cannot see it at this moment, the AI's death is not an entirely negative event." Razer and I only turned our hatred to her and growled in unison. Some bonds are too deep to be uprooted.

"What she means is we can mourn Aya later." Hal told us. But we couldn't exactly hear him. The rage was loose in us both and it was only waiting to explode.

"Poozers! I'm talking!" Kilowogg grabbed us by the shoulders and spun us to face him. "Look here! Get down and run diagnostics in the engine room. I need that now."

Somehow Kilowogg's words snapped us out of it. We got ourselves back under control and left before they said anything else insulting. When we got the order for a full-stop Razer and I came up to see the commotion. What we saw astounded us. The gnome was using some serious powers on the Anti-Monitor and it seemed to be working. Until it didn't and she got herself killed. I think Razer cared as little as I did about that.

The Anti-Monitor turned its power on us and it hurt like nothing that can be described. Your entire being turning into antimatter is something I wouldn't wish on anyone. We were only saved by the arrival of Shard distracting the Anti-Monitor. But even their greatest weapons couldn't scratch it. The thing ate Shard, it ate the largest weapon we had. As we flew back, Zox flipped out and Hal flipped back. Razer moped on the consoles while I plotted how to kill the Anti-Monitor. The only problem I kept coming to was a lack of power. I would need a lot of power to penetrate that armor.

"Do you share my opinion that the sweet embrace of death would be welcome today?" Razer asked Hal as the Green Lantern stood by us. I just grunted an agreement. I could think of someone who needed to die but we were fleeing it.

"No, I do not." Hal told Razer.

"After Ilana was killed, I had nothing left. I lost the will to go on."

"But you survived."

"I knew if I just gave up, Ilana would disapprove."

"Well Aya wouldn't approve either. Or she would at least tell you why your logic was faulty. In fact…" Hal was cut off by something latching onto the Interceptor. We went to prevent whatever it was from getting into the Interceptor. What crawled up the ramp was not what we expected. It was Aya, downloaded into a damaged Manhunter. Shock hit us all pretty hard, especially Razer and I. Shock made me power down entirely. Then when the lack of oxygen nearly killed me my violet shield came up. Hal was the first one to speak.

"Aya? You're alive! I-I can't believe it." Hal sputtered out to her.

"Thank you Green Lantern Hal. I am also pleased to see you again. All of you." Aya said, lurching on the borrowed pieces. I saw the look that she gave Razer. I know what she wanted to say but couldn't. Not with witnesses anyways.

"Impossible." Razer breathed, seeming to forget that he had been holding his breath.

"You look a little different. What happened?" Kilowogg asked. I finally moved, racing to Aya and pulling her into a hug.

"Who cares? She's back!" I yelled, hooting and carrying on. I put her down so she could answer Kilowogg question. I was just so happy to see her.

"When I was critically damaged, I was too far away to upload into the Interceptor's computer banks. I was managed to upload into a damaged Manhunter's CPU. I could not communicate however, so I followed the ship as best I could until I caught up." Aya explained, her motions still jerky as she walked up to the others.

"I can't believe it! You're all right!" Kilowogg hugged her, stealing my idea.

"Don't scare us like that again." Hal commanded her.

"I will endeavor not to, Green Lantern Hal."

"Aya, we've got the Manhunters and the Anti-Monitor headed toward Ysmault. We need to get ahead of them and coordinate with their planetary defenses. Can you help?"

"It should not be a problem. But it would be helpful if Red Lantern Razer would assist me." I took that as my cue to go back into sneak mode and hide out of sight and spy.

"Of course." Razer answered her. The others left and I just did my usual sneaky meddling.

"The Manhunters must have ruptured the flow valves to the Impellers. Can you repair them?" Razer asked after a quick survey of the damage.

"Directing energy to affected systems. Rebuilding. The damage is considerable."

"I see that." Smooth Razer, real smooth.

"When I last saw you, you said you loved me."

"I did."

"Is my appearance disconcerting? I believe I can rectify that problem." A fresh supply of her body parts came down from her collection. That was rather morbid way for me to say she had some spare parts. "Since my unfortunate meeting with Atrocitus, I have created a supply of spare parts for myself." She reassembled herself quickly. "There. This is better, correct?"

"I…"

"In my studies of emotion, It seems a great deal of what is called love; is predicated on how one looks." I think Aya has spent a little too much time in the romance section of human literature.

"That is incorrect. Sometimes, true love is different." That's Razer for you, walking right up to the last step and suddenly getting cold feet. Or rather tripping and falling on his face.

"I am unsure how to process this. I require more information. Which love do you have for me: true love or some other kind of love?"

"I do not love you. At all. I cannot." Razer that was the single dumbest thing you have ever done. And I have seen some stupid things in my travels with him. I will let you imagine how close I was to strangling him right there.

'That is not consistent with your actions and what you stated recently."

"I-I believe I was confused. Because of the form you have taken. I thought, believed that I was feeling love. But if I do, it is not for you. It's for the memory of my dear Ilana. You may have built yourself in her image, but you are not her. You are just a machine. And I can never love you. I am so sorry." Razer left and I hid. The self-hate and love poured off his body in astounding shades of red and violet.

"Processing…Processing….Processing…." Aya said, trying to come to terms with what Razer said. I couldn't let this continue. I stepped into the room.

"Aya, he lied to you." I said, her attention turning to me.

"What do you mean? He was very clear with his intentions."

"Aya, listen to me. He lied because he loves you."

"I do not understand. I require more information. Please continue."

"Razer and I were torn by your…disappearance. We nearly killed Hal in grief. But the fact that you returned, it reminded Razer of how…unique you are. It probably reminded him of how he couldn't save Ilana. He lied to spare you the pain that was tearing him apart inside. He believed that eventually one of you would not be able to save the other and he couldn't put you through that. He thought it was better for you to think that he didn't love you than put you through the agony of losing someone you love. I'm sorry Aya, I truly am. This is the painful side of love. Aya, you may have a machine for a body, but you have a living soul. You have emotions, and I have seen them. I have seen the love you have for Razer and I have seen Razer's love for you. I beg you, don't believe him when he says he didn't love you and forgive him for his foolishness."

"I must process this additional information brother." Aya left, leaving me to think about the situation. I came up in time for Zox to leave and Aya to find Hal.

"Razer does not love me." She told Hal simply. Damn Razer get his nonsense caught in her head. When this is over I'm breaking Razer's limbs and assigning Aya as his nurse so he can understand how stupid he's been.

"What? Oh." Hal realized what she had said. He pulled her aside while I pretended to look busy repairing Emmitt. Sometimes the best part about him is that prefers to observe rather than interfere.

"Razer confessed his love before I was severely damaged. But now that I have returned, he says he does not love me."

"Oh, boy."

"Thoughts of Razer and his lack of love for me are taking up much of my computing power. Something is wrong. I am not operating within my normal parameters."

"That happens. When I think about the times I messed with Carol, the times that I've hurt her…"

"But why did you hurt her?" Great question. I'm still looking for the catch-all answer. And thinking of what kind of bat I'm going to use on Razer. Wood or Aluminum?

"I didn't mean to. I never do, and Razer didn't mean to hurt you." He better not.

"But he is the cause. The moment replays in my memory banks on an endless loop. I believe it is causing me what you would call pain. I do not want to feel this." Kilowogg interrupted with an update and Hal put the talk on hold. Now she had heard from two of us. But the only person whose opinion mattered was Razer. Getting real tired of him mucking this up. We all got to our stations as the Anti-Monitor led its forces against the planetary defenses.

I couldn't watch this, this battle while our crew tore themselves apart inside. Then Aya did the only thing she could do. Confront Razer.

"Razer."

"Aya, we have much to speak of but now is not a good time." The poozer couldn't even look at her when he spoke.

"No, it is not. What would you do if emotions were interfering with your performance?" I couldn't stand this. I grabbed them both by the shoulders intent on a full lecture.

As soon as I touched them, I was struck with a vision. A vision of what was to come. I saw Razer's mistake; I saw Aya's mistake; I watched the universe at war with my sister. I watched them die in each other's arms. I watched it all and everything from here to the last battle with Anti-Aya. I knew what I had to do. I knew why I was here. And I broke a rule I never thought I would have to.

I pulled as much their emotional energy as I could out of them without killing them. Just like the fake Mirror Lanterns were going to do. It is an actual power that Mirror Lanterns can use, but it's normally avoided for being too evil. They slumped unconscious and that got the other's attention. I merely pointed my ring in their direction and I drained them the same way. I turned to Emmitt and he only nodded.

"Do what you must." He told me, then I did the same to him. I did what I had to before I left the Interceptor, including draining the main engine. By the time I left I was more powerful than I had ever been. The Manhunters noticed and attacked. But I didn't respond. Their attacks were absorbed by my shield and they drew closer to me. I activated my ring, channeling everything I had into this one task. I created full clones of myself. Well, pure emotional energy versions of myself. They appeared as they had back during my initiation into the Mirror Lantern Corp. The same garb, looks, only with a lot more power. They attacked, knowing that was what they needed to do. They went to work, already knowing their jobs. I took point of the attacking group as we drew the Manhunters away from the Red Lantern ships. The others harvested the energy of the defeated Manhunters and the Red Lantern fleet. Eventually we were able to force the entirety of the Manhunters to chase us as the fleet fell silent. I called them all back to me and we did what we had to. With the gathered energy I wiped the Manhunters from existence. Every trace, scrap, and bit of code gone. The energy backflow filled my ring to the point of infinity, which is how much I needed.

"You may have removed my army, but you are still no match for me." The Anti-Monitor taunted. He attacked me, trying to end me. I merely reached out and absorbed his attack like I had the Manhunters before him.

"Bind him." I told my copies. They moved swiftly, not leaving the Anti-Monitor time to react. I channeled my ring's energy, creating the potential answer I needed. I only had three words to whisper to the universe before I did this.

"I'm sorry. Goodbye." I let the words spread into the void, never to be heard by another living soul. I screamed my battle cry and charged at the captured Anti-Monitor. The copies circled, swirling into a perfect circle around it. I touched the Anti-Monitor and the universe ripped open in the circle. It sucked us all into a pocket universe designed by me to eradicate anything that entered it. Including myself.


	7. Aftermath

**In the space above Ysmault….**

The battlefield was silent. No scraps of Manhunters floated, while ships drifted without power. Razer was the first one to awaken, confused as to what had happened. He had been talking to Aya in the middle of the battle. Then a hand touched his shoulder, and then nothing. He looked out the Interceptor's windshield, expecting to see the Anti-Monitor and its horde of Manhunters. But all he saw were the damaged and powered-down vessels of the Red Lantern fleet. He looked around, seeing his fellow crewmates incapacitated as well. But then he realized he couldn't see Erin. He started to search the whole ship, looking for any trace of the wild human he called his friend. The only trace he found of Erin was his pet Manhunter, sitting deactivated near the bridge doors.

"What happened?" Razer said more to himself than any of the unconscious crew. He saw movement near the front of the bridge. It was Aya, who seemed to be slowly awakening. He pulled her into his arms and helped her stand up. She looked at him and then around the bridge.

"Razer, I detect no hostile forces but my scans are limited. Something drained the Interceptor of nearly all power." She inquired of him. He didn't know how to answer.

"I-I don't know. But Erin is missing and everyone else seems to be out cold."

"Then we must take advantage of this time to finish our discussion."

"Aya, I already told you…" But her hand on his mouth stopped him.

"After you and I last spoke, Erin came in and told me that you had lied in order to spare both of us pain in the long run. He claimed that you were doing this out of a misguided attempt to protect me. I am unsure of which of you is telling me the truth. Razer, answer me truthfully: Do you love me?" Razer was spared answering by two occurrences. Hal and Kilowogg chose that moment to awaken and a large indigo light moving into the bridge. Aya and Razer turned to the blinding light and it resolved itself into the shape of Erin, only it was pure energy. One of his construct copies.

"What happened? The last thing I remember is Erin knocking us all out." Kilowogg grumbled as he sat up. When he saw the construct, he charged it thinking it was the real thing. He missed it entirely as it nimbly jumped over him and padded to the center of the bridge.

"Hello crew of the Interceptor. I come bearing a message for you. If someone would please reactivate the artificial being known as Emmitt I will begin to answer your questions." The indigo being passively ordered them, crossing its legs and floating. Razer held Aya close as he circled over to the side of Hal, watching the construct with fascination as it waited patiently. Kilowogg grunted and went back, and brought the now active Emmitt with him.

"First question, what happened? Where's the Anti-Monitor and the Manhunters?" Hal directed at the construct. The indigo being looked at Hal with a sad smile, shaking its head like they had seen Erin do so often before.

"Erin happened. He defeated the Anti-Monitor and wiped all of the Manhunters from existence." It said, unfolding its legs but not quite touching the floor.

"Query: Then how am I still in existence if all Manhunters were eliminated?" Emmitt asked, beating Razer to the proverbial punch.

"You are not a Manhunter. You are not defined by your past Emmitt. You are as alive as Aya is." It explained, pacing a few inches above the floor.

"What do you mean? And if he beat the baddie, where is our little shiny guy anyways?" Kilowogg asked. The construct's face fell as it tried to not waste its valuable energy on distracting thoughts.

"I meant exactly what I said. Aya is alive. Emmitt is alive. Aya is alive because she is a child of Ion, the living entity of willpower. The former science director stole a piece of the entity to create Aya. Much like Aya, Emmitt has been infused with the essence of a living being. I do believe that the proper terminology is that they are truly alive." It stated, its eyes on Razer's as the words sunk in. Razer couldn't believe it. What he had said to her, what he had nearly done to her. He felt shame build beneath his collarbone as the words sunk in.

"You didn't answer Kilowogg's other question. Where is Erin?" Hal asked the construct directly. The construct sighed.

"In order to prevent the future that he foresaw, Erin was forced to prevent certain actions from being taken. This made it his responsibility to fulfill his role as Mirror Lantern and eliminate the threat."

"That's not an answer. Where. Is. He?" Hal threatened the construct with his ring. The indigo being was unfazed.

"In order to eliminate the threat that was the Anti-Monitor, Erin was forced to use all the power he had available." The construct kept dodging the question.

"Last time. Where is he or so help me…?" Razer intervened. The construct sighed again.

"You simply do not understand. Erin used everything at his disposal. Including his life." The indigo creature turned its back to them, no longer resisting their questions.

"You mean he… he…." Kilowogg was speechless.

"Correct, Erin died to end the threat of the Anti-Monitor. He sacrificed himself to permanently remove the threat to existence and change the future."

"No, this is a joke. A terrible joke by him. C'mon out kid this isn't funny. We know you're hiding somewhere." Hal yelled out into the common area of the ship. No reply greeted his call.

"This is not a joke. Take a look at this." The indigo construct put a data drive of some kind into the view screen. The crew watched as Erin disabled them and fought the Manhunters alongside his construct copies. They watched as he defeated the Anti-Monitor and watched in horror as their friend disappeared from this universe.

"So he's alive over there. The kid's practically un-killable. We know if we can get the ring back he's always fine." Hal insisted until they saw it. A large ring on the other side of the windshield. It phased through and seemed to wait and hover near Emmitt. That ring could have only come from one place.

"No." Razer denied.

"Yes. You are simply experiencing grief, but there are other pressing matters." The indigo construct told them, seemingly uncaring that it was the last act of a dead man.

"What? What could be so pressing?" Razer couldn't help but feel his rage flare.

"This." The construct's hand swept out. A haze clouded the crew's vision and they saw the impossible. They saw Aya give up her emotions and replace the Anti-Monitor. They watched as Aya rampaged across the galaxy, and they watched the final battle. The haze and visions faded but they couldn't forget what they had seen. Razer turned to Aya, and threw his hands around her and pulled her into a kiss that she eagerly returned. Hal and Kilowogg couldn't care less about that right now, they were too busy trying to understand the vision that they had just seen.

"Would that have really happened?" Hal asked their mysterious indigo friend.

"Yes. But my time is nearly up. Take these. This one is for Gi'ata. It would be….compassionate of you to take this to her." The indigo construct handed him a large data drive and a small box. He looked at the box, wondering what it could be so important that Erin needed to leave a special message behind.

"Of course. Wait…" Hal told the construct as it started to fade.

"Know this Hal. What happens from here on is your choice." And the cryptic message passed on, the indigo construct dissipating. The Green Lanterns and Emmitt decided to leave Razer and Aya to themselves and focused on the Mirror Lantern ring that continued to circle Emmitt.

"You going to do something about that?" Kilowogg asked the former Manhunter.

"I do not know what is expected of me." Emmitt's eyes tracked the ring's orbit around him. The ring stopped circling and faced Emmitt.

"Emmitt the Manhunter, son of Oa," The ring spoke in Erin's voice, reminding them of their loss. Uninhibited the ring continued:

"You have shown yourself capable and have already accepted the freedom of choice. Will you accept this choice and defend the freedoms of living beings and balance the spectrum?"

Emmitt looked at the Green Lanterns, who nodded to him. He reached out for the ring.

"I will." He said as the ring slipped onto his finger. As soon it settled on his finger, Emmitt began to glow, blinding the Green Lanterns. They didn't notice as Razer pulled back from Aya as she also started glowing. The two robots seemed to disappear and eventually the glow faded. What the Lanterns saw when their eyes readjusted was impossible.

Where Emmitt had stood, a large human stood. It was Emmitt, yet it wasn't. The muscular human had a thin fuzz of hair on the top of his head and the same thick features Emmitt had had. The chest piece with its insignia was now a sleeveless shirt, revealing powerful tanned arms. The wristbands had extended, becoming full bracers. The shorts were relatively unchanged, but the kneecaps and boots had fused into thick armored boots. When he opened his new eyes, they glowed the same green as their power rings.

What had happened to Aya was even more drastic. Her gauntlets had become thin white mesh, revealing her green skin and leaving her fingers free of the material. Her tank top had changed into a full shirt, still emblazoned with the Green Lantern symbol over her new breasts. Her shorts had extended, thankfully far enough for Hal's tastes. Her tall boots had become shorter, only coming to her knees and now had 3" heels. Her face was unchanged but a small tuft of white bangs escaped from under her helmet. Her eyes opened, revealing the same two-toned blue eyes she had before. The two former robots looked down at themselves in astonishment.

"I'm…I'm…" Emmitt stuttered, shocked to hear his own voice without the electric synthesizer.

"Human." Razer said, gently pulling Aya's helmet off, letting her glowing white hair cascade to her new and exposed shoulders. The two looked back into each other's eyes, and embraced again. Laughter bubbled out of both of them. Neither noticed as Razer's red ring slipped from his finger soundlessly. When it fell off, it didn't fly away as Razer's armor dissipated.

"A new start. In honor of the new future." The Mirror Lantern ring spoke from its new position. They all looked at it, and took a moment to silently thank the one who had done this. The one who had given back three lives and countless others for his own.


	8. Aftermath (Part 2)

**Later…**

Oa celebrated its heroes and its new allies. All of Oa was currently attending a massive banquet gathered from across the shared zones. All except for five Lanterns who sat in the recently dedicated plaza. They looked at the statue of the person who had brought them all together. They sat, still unable to believe all that had happened. From the moment Erin had died in service to the universe, everything had become like a dream. Aya and Emmitt's conversions to fully living beings. The end of Razer's rage and his new blue ring. The peace treaties between the various Lantern Corps. The parties and ceremonies. The hero's funeral that they had all spoken at. But most of all, Erin's personal logbook and the simple diamond ring that now sat on Gi'ata's finger.

"Anybody seen Emmitt?" Hal asked the assembled Lanterns. The Manhunter turned Lantern was suspiciously absent. Now that Hal thought about it, had he seen him since they had gotten back to Oa?

"We have not seen him since our triumphant return from Ysmault." Aya stated, her green ring overlaying Razer's blue one as they held hands on the bench.

"Not that you two were looking hard." Kilowogg remarked. The sergeant was still trying to wrap his head around how he missed the connection that those two had.

"I still wish I could meet this former Manhunter Erin saved before I left." Gi'ata told them, standing up in preparation to leave. The job of telling her had fallen to Hal and he had not expected her to be so stoic about it. She would mourn her fallen lover in her way, away from this world that did not know him as she had known him. As she started to float off, she was distracted by a blur of motion.

"Friends! Friends! I have been searching for you all!" The deep voice that could only come from the newest Mirror Lantern. Unlike his predecessor, Emmitt was often seen in his civilian clothes. He came to a halt amidst them and paused to breathe.

"Emmitt, this is Gi'ata she's… or she was…" Hal tried to explain.

"I was Erin's fiancé." Gi'ata told the former Manhunter as she took his hand. The others were shocked to hear her say that. Erin hadn't had time to propose to her before he had left Zamaron for their mission, but Gi'ata said it with such a casual tone that they couldn't help but gape in shock.

"I am sorry to hear that Gi'ata of the Star Sapphires. But I am quite pleased that you are here. There is something I need to show you." Emmitt raised his ring, projecting some kind of list with a large sketch of an empty box marked with measurements of all kinds. They all crowded around, trying to get the best view possible.

"Uh, not to put a damper on your cheer Emmitt, but what exactly is it?" Hal asked trying to read the mix of numbers and symbols the ring couldn't even translate.

"I have not finished decoding it in its entirety, but if I'm right, which I believe I am. This is an ancient Mirror Lantern ritual. Older than most civilizations."

"A ritual for what?" Aya asked, moving closer to it to get a better look. Old habits die hard when it came to her.

"A ritual to save a fallen hero. A way to resurrect a life freely given in service to bring peace." He told the group.

"You mean we could…" Hal couldn't even say it, it sounded too ridiculous. Too hopeful.

"Yes. With this ritual we could bring back Erin. We could save him." Emmitt said, deadly serious as his eyes met the assembled Lanterns'.

**Far off in the Forbidden Zone…**

A section of the void over Ysmault shifted. Something detached itself from the empty space between the stars and as it moved, its motion was only traceable by the occasional blink of a star as it passed between the observer and the star.


	9. Reflections

"Have you decoded anything else Emmitt?" Hal asked the former Manhunter. Jordan still couldn't quite believe that the newest Lantern had been a robot only a short while ago. When the new Mirror Lantern had shown them the ritual, the first question they had was: should they? A quick and unanimous vote solved that. The next thing that they had to do was start decoding the pieces of the ritual. It didn't appear overly complex but the ciphers and secret codes made it difficult enough without each section requiring a different series of answers. So far they had decoded two sections: the box's importance, and the need for an unworn Green Lantern power ring.

Which brought them to their current situation. Hal was waiting for a chance to talk to the Guardians about getting a new power ring for this ritual. Gi'ata, Razer, and Aya were on their way to Zamaron and Kilowogg was out patrolling as a new member of the honor guard, waiting for the call to come help.

"This is going to be interesting." Hal said as Salaak led him to the council's chamber. The Guardians were assembled, waiting to hear what Hal had come to request. What could possibly go wrong?

"What have you come to ask for now, Honor Guard Hal Jordan?" Appa, voice and head of the council asked.

"I came to ask for the council's help with something. I can't exactly elaborate right now, but I need a new power ring that hasn't been used by anyone." Hal would have winced under the weight of their glares in a normal situation. Except this wasn't a normal situation.

"Do you know what you are asking for? We cannot hand this out without a proper reason, not even for a hero as decorated as you. Not to mention you are still suspect in the death of the former Science Director." Hal noticed Salaak was doing something on his console, but Hal refocused and turned back to the Guardian.

"Look, it is part of something important. Haven't I earned at least one favor for helping stop the Manhunter issue?" Hal offered up. The Guardians seemed to be mulling it over when Salaak exclaimed as several screens suddenly lit up.

"Incoming!" The assembled group barely had time to react as something pierced the roof and crashed into the floor. Hal looked at the oddly shaped object in front of him. It was solid black, and seemed to suck the light from the air around it. Then it unfolded itself. It revealed a humanoid body clad in a purely black suit. It stretched its limbs and Hal caught sight of its right hand. The hand was only bones, holding themselves together and supporting a large black ring.

"What are you?" A guardian asked as the thing rolled its neck, filling the air with unnatural cracks.

"Hal Jordan, haven't you told these ungrateful fools who I am?" An all-too familiar voice spoke out as it turned to Hal. Looking into that face, Hal felt sick. It was Erin, but his eyes were empty sockets with a glowing symbol in them. Where his upper clothing should have been was only an empty ribcage with a blackened symbol burned into bleach-white bones. The five lines over the inverted triangle. The symbol that had been burned into Erin's hand now brutally displayed on his dead body.

"Erin? What happened to you?" Hal managed to resist the urge to throw up. The rest of his former friend's body displayed a patchwork of more bones and skin stretched thin through gaps in the cloth that remained.

"Hal, I'm ashamed. To think that the man I thought of as a father-figure can't figure it out. I died. Because of you, and because of every other person in existence. No one tells you it's your job to sacrifice yourself for people who will never care." The zombie Erin shook its head, the air filling with the rattle of bone on bone.

"Look whatever happened to you we can help, Erin." Hal tried to talk him down as Erin's glowing eyes looked hungrily across the assembled Guardians. Even they flinched under the gaze of the dead man standing in front of them. Erin laughed, the noise nasty and dry.

"I don't need help Hal. I just need a quick snack." Erin said casually, raising his black ring. Hal didn't react fast enough and a black beam lanced out, piercing a Guardian. Hal could only watch as Erin reeled in the impaled alien and ripped its heart out. The terrified alien had only time to give a single gasp before dying.

"Erin?" Hal felt the bile rise as Erin chewed on the Guardian's heart, and the blood dripped onto his ribs. The sounds of the blood falling and the grinding of flesh made the assembled Guardians cringe in pure terror. Hal could only stand there as the zombie swallowed, smacking its lips in satisfaction.

"Now that's that is taken care of, it's time for me to do what I'm here for." Erin switched the Guardian's corpse to his other hand and firing a black beam at Hal. Hal blocked it with a wall construct as the Guardians used the distraction to flee.

"What are you doing?" Hal grunted. Erin was incredibly strong and was laying down the heat. The black construct was cracking Hal's wall and seeming to spread on the surface of the construct.

"What's a matter Hal? Don't want to join me in death? After all I've done for you? You will be free of all the pain of this life. You will know the true power of death. It is inevitable." Erin's ring surged, breaking Hal's construct. Hal fired blindly, trying to distract him. A hit and hiss of pain from Erin. The zombie stepped back as a piece of bone flew out from his collarbone. The splinters flew in every direction and Hal felt a stinging sensation that quickly faded in his shoulder.

"What's a matter? Can't take the light?" Hal quipped as he got back to his feet. He heard that dry chuckle as the bone reformed in front of Hal's eyes.

"You will die last Hal. I will kill everything in the universe and you won't be able to stop me. You will watch as I kill and resurrect everyone you've ever known and then I will let them torture you and only then, when you are broken will I kill you. I will put you down like the rabid dog you are." Erin snarled as he created a black energy whip and swung. Hal blocked it but was still swatted aside. He looked up as Erin stood over him, a savage sneer on his face. Hal waited for the blows to rain down.

But it didn't come. A volley of green energy struck Erin, blasting free more pieces and forcing the zombie back. Hal felt a familiar two pairs of hands helping him to his feet.

"Thanks Salaak. I managed to keep him busy. Everyone get clear?" Hal managed to say to the Guardians' associate. A half-dozen Green Lantern recruits were blasting away at their enemy.

"Yes, and more reinforcements are arriving." Salaak told Hal as the volley fell silent as the zombie fell to the ground. The bone splinters finished falling to the floor with a thin rattle.

"Is it dead?" A recruit called out. A sickening feeling built in Hal's gut as the dry laugh filled the silence. Hal could only watch in horror as Erin got back up, and so did an amalgam of pure bone. The fine lattice of bone fragments held together by the black energy made this monstrosity dwarf even the largest recruit. The bone beast towered over Erin, its fangs bared.

"You cannot kill what is already dead. I have other things to do. Pet, attack." Erin ordered as he flew out of the hole his landing created. The bone monstrosity hissed and lunged at the wall of Green Lanterns. Two recruits went down before Hal managed to blast the thing into dust. Hal looked at their mangled bodies, their crushed chests and wrenched limbs. He watched as their rings flew off to find new hosts. He watched as the others prepared the bodies for burial. But there was no sign of the dead Guardian.

"What was that thing?" Salaak asked Hal.

"Whatever it was, it's now a threat to the whole universe. I have to go make a call." Hal told his fellow Honor Guard as he raced out.


	10. Broken Hearts

"Jordan, are you sure?" Razer asked his friend's hologram.

"Yes. It was a zombie Erin and it killed a Guardian. The whole Corp is on high alert. Be careful out there." Hal told them and hung up. Razer pinched his nose. Everything was getting harder. Emmitt was struggling to decode the ritual, Kilowogg was bogged down in Green Lantern duties, and now this. At least they had the meeting with Aga'po to look forward to. Gi'ata had arranged the audience and with her help they might be able to secure this piece of the ritual. When Gi'ata came to get him, he woke Aya from her nap. The experience of being a living being was still new to her and she quickly tired.

"Wake up my love. It's time." Razer whispered to her, his hand running through her silken hair. Her eyes fluttered open and the sleep quickly cleared from them.

"Let us go then." Aya told him, putting her power ring on and she was immediately dressed to go. Razer smiled and took her hand in his as they began the short walk to the Queen's chamber.

"I am glad to see you have found love again Razer. And it is astounding to meet you again Aya. Gi'ata tells me you wish to ask another favor of us. One that she is rather tight-lipped about." Aga'po told Razer. He pretended he didn't see the look the queen shot to her niece.

"We would prefer that as few people know our motives as possible. We need your help to construct and maintain a large crystal formation." Razer explained, projecting the dimensions of the box. A box of pure Star Sapphire crystal 6' long, by 5' wide and 4' deep.

"Such an interesting request. It almost appears as though you are constructing a tomb. Does this have to do with the Mirror Lantern who died?" Aga'po inquired. Razer grimaced, having forgotten how clever the Queen was. Gi'ata flinched at the mention of Erin and his demise.

"It does. But we would ask that you do not inquire further. It is a personal mission and we merely ask to use this place as a base to continue our objectives." Aya piped up. Aga'po looked her, squinting in concentration.

"He did much for you, didn't he? What was it? Was he the one that brought you together?"

"He did. In his own way. He was something of a guardian angel. He convinced us to be honest with each other and kept Hal from interfering. He was rather overly protective about it though."

"He seemed to hold both of you quite close. It was not so long ago that he convinced Razer to make the journey to you by opening his heart. It was not long after that he returned to help us spread the true love that we had forgotten. I will allow this, on one condition." Aga'po explained. Razer winced. There was always a catch.

"Very well." Razer answered, glad to reach an agreement so quickly.

"Tell us why he died. Do not distract us with how. We know it was in a noble sacrifice in the name of love, but we do not know his motives." Razer blanched and Aya stiffened beside him. He turned to her and they spoke with their eyes. Aya eventually nodded and Razer cleared his throat. It was his story to tell.

"He sacrificed himself in the name of love, as you said. But what you do not know is that he did so to save Aya and me from ourselves. He saw the future and foresaw the mistakes we would make in that battle and prevented them. But this came at a great personal cost, his life in exchange for changing the future and averting a war fueled by a pain so deep it could only come out of broken love. He was… my friend and believed so strongly in my love for Aya that he died to protect it. It is to him I owe so much." Razer confessed. Aya stood by him, giving him a soft squeeze in support. The assembled Star Sapphires were in tears as Razer spoke with such emotion. Even Gi'ata and Aga'po were drying their eyes.

"For him to do such a thing, he had greater love than any of us may ever know. You will have what you have asked for and may the blessing of his love for you two protect you in the coming days of your journey." Aga'po spoke as a blessing over them. Razer and Aya shared a smile of sadness and contentment as Gi'ata followed them back to the Interceptor. They barely reached the foot of the ramp before they saw Emmitt preparing to sprint to them.

"Oh. Your meeting is over. I have much good news friends. The crystals arrayed around the castle gave me the key to decoding two more passages. We need enough soil of Erin's homeworld to fill the crystal sarcophagus and the same amount of something called "hope water." If I am correct, Odym's waters will be exactly what we need. I have already told Hal of the development and he has set out for Earth since he is closest. Kilowogg remains embattled in the colonies with the pirate fleet and his recruits." Emmitt excitedly babbled. His giddiness made his shirt cycle through all the colors of the spectrum. Something they had gotten used to seeing since Emmitt had received the ring.

"That is wonderful news. I will stay here and prepare the crystal. Go and gather the…ingredients." Gi'ata bowed and went back to the castle.

"I will go begin the calculations for the ultra-warp jump to Odym." Aya said, leaving Razer and Emmitt on the ramp. The two had never been alone like this before. Razer had made his dislike of Emmitt clear from the start but Razer had never tried to amend those rifts now that Emmitt was organic.

"Emmitt, I uh…" Razer stumbled to try and start this apology. But Emmitt smiled and nodded at Razer's bumbling.

"I accept your apology Razer. I completely understand why you felt the way you did. Now I must take my leave and stay here." Emmitt explained, floating down the ramp. Razer was flabbergasted.

"Why are you staying here?" Razer asked quickly, trying to cover up his embarrassment at being shown as less capable of communicating than a former machine.

"Hal also contacted me about the creature. I am currently trying to learn what I can about its origins and still decode the ritual. It will help my focus to stay in a single place." Emmitt leaned in conspiratorially, "Hal told of me of how the creature seemed to only be hurt by green light. If I leave, the Star Sapphires will have no protection."

Razer considered what the man said, then nodded. They parted as only two warriors could, without a single look back and the certainty of purpose in their step.


	11. Homeward Bound

Hal clutched the small pouch around his neck, the holding place of the new power ring that the Guardians had given him for saving them from their unknown enemies. One piece of the ritual found and another in sight. It was good to see the home system after all the craziness with the Manhunters. He was just passing Jupiter when the call came in.

"Hello, Hal." Erin's sadistically sweet voice echoed from Hal's ring. He stopped flying to compose himself before he spoke.

"What do you want abomination?" He barked to the dead thing that claimed to be Erin. Hal doubted that the thing was the real Erin, but he didn't have all the answers.

"Now, now, is that nice? Or is this because you just want to run away and hide while I finish my work."

"Tell me this isn't just some kind of evil social call."

"Oh no, it's educational. I wanted to let you know something."

"And what would that be? Your evil plan? That you found a skeleton cat to keep in your lap?"

"You know that Death changes who you are. But what you don't know is that is doesn't completely change you."

"Your point is, what exactly?"

"There is only one place in the universe to sate a marshmallow craving. Or I should say, there was only one place. Now there are none."

"What did you do?" Hal yelled at his ring. The only response he got was a demonic dry cackle.

"I told you I would kill and resurrect everyone you ever knew. If only I had known you would be back so soon, I would have prepared a special presentation. Perhaps that Star Sapphire of yours. She seems like a screamer." Erin laughed maniacally and hung up. Fear and rage rose up in Hal but he crushed them as he raced back to Earth. He had to get home.

"This is Green Lantern Hal Jordan of Sector 2814. Calling all Earth Green Lanterns. John? Kyle? Guy? Why is no one answering?" Hal yelled into his ring as he entered the atmosphere. He flew towards Coast City, hoping to make it to Ferris Aircraft and check on Carol. As he cleared the mountains near the airfield, Hal could see three figures floating in waiting. It could only be the other Lanterns. No one else knew he was back.

Hal couldn't believe it. He was too late. He looked at the zombies that were once his friends. The dark symbol now appeared where their Green Lantern symbols were once displayed. He screamed more at himself than at them as he attacked. Hal managed to knock Kyle from the air and spun to meet Guy as the former Green Lantern retaliated. The black construct was weaker than Hal expected, but not by much. Zombie John used the opening made by Guy to tackle Hal to the tarmac of the airstrip. They hit with a deafening boom and clouds of dust rolled away. Hal swung at John, knocking the zombie off of him as he flew straight at Carol's office. He burst through the window, looking for her.

But Carol wasn't there, so Hal had to think of where she could be. And he had to think fast as the zombie Lanterns came closer. The best option would be to try and get to Coast City and search for her there. But he got struck by one of John's weapon constructs, knocking him through the building and back out into the open. He knew he couldn't beat three Lanterns alone, especially not while searching for Carol.

"Back off! I don't want to kill you guys!" Hal shouted at them, hoping that he could reach them.

"Can't do that Hal." Kyle yelled and attacked, reaching for Hal's power ring. Hal threw a quick punch to knock him back and took off as fast as he could for his hometown. As he swept through the town, all he could see was abandoned cars.

"Ring, scan for Carol Ferris." Hal ordered it as he flew through the deserted city. Hal prayed that he could find her in time. He heard the sonic boom just in time for the punch to catch his jaw. He was blasted through three skyscrapers before he skidded to a stop in the middle of a fourth one. An office building by the looks of it. But where was everybody.

"Only one guy can hit that hard." Hal told the figure that floated silhouette-like against the setting sun. Zombie Superman. Hal couldn't believe it. Where his normal "S" and red/blue outfit should have been, there was the symbol that all the dead guys with rings had on in pure black. The bastard had managed to kill Earth's strongest hero.

"Hal, calm down. We can help you." The Zombie Man of Steel said, looking at Hal with those glowing ghost-eyes of his. How could he have failed so utterly?

"I don't need help."

"Yes you do, don't you see what's going on here?"

"You mean the fact that everyone's dead and trying to kill me? How did he do it?"

"How did who do what?"

"Quit trying to confuse me!" Hal shouted, launching a construct into the thing that had claimed his friend's identity. The zombie was caught off-guard, getting knocked back. By the time he recovered, Hal was already gone.

"We've got a problem." Superman spoke into a communicator.

Hal was glad when the ring finally told him it had found Carol. She was back at her house. Hal raced there as fast as he could. He could see the lights were on but he didn't want to waste time. He pulled a Batman, smashing into the living room through a window. He heard a gasp of surprise and turned to it. There was Carol sitting comfortably on her couch looking at him with shock.

"Hal? What are you doing?" She asked, standing up. Hal rushed over to her, relief spreading through him. His relief was temporary, as a shadow moved behind her.

"Look out!" Hal stepped up, firing at the thing. It dodged, forced into the light. It was zombie Batman, glowering at Hal even in undeath.

"Hal, it's over." Batman said simply as the house flooded with light and the silhouettes of the Justice League came in through the windows.

"I won't let you hurt her!" Hal took up a defensive stance, prepared for an attack.

"Who said anything about us hurting her? Hal you've got to think rationally." Batman took a step to the side, forcing Hal to turn.

"Your head honcho already gave me that speech. Now I'm going to take Carol somewhere safe from you undead freaks." Hal turned to Carol, only to feel his ring slip from his finger. As he powered down, he looked at her more closely. The pain of betrayal stabbed him harder as he realized he'd been tricked.

"Carol?" He asked of the zombie, somehow managing to look mostly alive. He blacked out as Batman gassed him. Game over, Hal thought.

"What happened to him?" Carol asked Batman, looking at her unconscious love. His flight suit was ripped, embedded with a piece of what looked like bone in his shoulder.

"I don't know, but we'll figure it out. At least Kyle managed to figure out where he was going before anything went terribly wrong." The masked vigilante replied. He picked up the unconscious Green Lantern and went to the broken window.

"You know you could just leave out a door like a normal person Bruce." Carol teased, trying to cover her fear for Hal's life with humor.

"Just be ready for anything. And see if you can get that ring of yours back. You might need it in case…" Batman couldn't finish the sentence, the idea of it so repulsive. He didn't look back as he leapt out and the other members of the Justice League prepared to help the Green Lantern.

Far off over a small cemetery plot, a black ring floated as it scanned the headstones. Finding the right one, it stopped.

"Martin Jordan of Earth, RISE!" the ring spoke out. And a hand came through the ground, reaching out for the black ring.


	12. Forgotten Sins

Razer was looking forward to this trip. Ever since he had gotten his Blue power ring, he couldn't wait to return to Odym. Even with the dark secret that he kept from Aya. He knew he shouldn't, but he didn't know how to tell her. How could he tell her that Erin, who she considered her sibling, was some kind of evil walking corpse? He had a few theories of his own about this creature that claimed to be their dead friend, but he would prefer never having to see something like that himself. When the Interceptor landed they were greeted by Ganthet.

"I am glad my suspicions proved correct." He said, spotting Razer's new uniform. Razer gave him a faux hard look.

"Who else could stand this much blue?" Razer joked, earning a smile from the exiled Guardian.

"And this must be Aya. A living body suits you." Ganthet said as the AI-turned-human came down the ramp.

"It does Guardian Ganthet. Though we are not here on a social call." Aya said, her arms slipping around Razer. The only hint of surprise Ganthet gave was an upturned eyebrow.

"Then tell me, what has brought you here?"

"We have come for 'the waters of hope.' We believed that the water of your meditation lake is exactly what we are looking for."

"What, if I may ask, do you need this water for?"

"It is a secret. We would prefer not to tell unless it is necessary."

"I will respect your privacy. Please take what you need. But at least join us for a short banquet. We are celebrating the relighting of the Central Battery now that the Manhunters are gone." Aya looked at Razer with her puppy dog eyes and he caved immediately. Besides, it wasn't like the water was needed _right_ now. Plus, it would give Emmitt time to decode more of the ritual. So they decided to follow Ganthet.

The Blue Lanterns had already expanded in the time they had been away. A few new permanent buildings had been erected and at least a dozen new recruits were meditating under Saint Walker's guidance. Razer was glad to see at least one of his friends still alive and well. While the concept of having so many people in his life was not new, Razer was still getting used to the idea that they had all wanted to be there. For better or worse, these people had helped him earn his redemption and his new power. When the first Blue Lantern noticed their approach, he stepped away and came to greet them.

"Welcome back brother. I am glad that you have found your new path." Saint Walker told Razer, clasping his hands behind his back.

"It still amazes me to no end that I am worthy of this ring. But it reassures me that the future is not as bleak as I once believed it to be." Razer answered.

"When the news reached us of Erin's sacrifice, we all hoped that you would not turn to despair at the loss of such a true friend as he. But it appears that he had more influence than we believed."

"Do not downplay your own part, Brother Walker. It was not only him who steered me away from my self-destruction."

"Of that I have no doubt. I was merely referring to your companion. Were you not the artificial intelligence known as Aya?" Saint Walker's head turned to the human girl.

"I was. I still go by Aya." She replied with a smile.

"Then I am happy for both of you. Come now, the banquet soon starts." Saint Walker ushered them to a larger building and were quickly seated at the long table as the other Blue Lanterns entered and took their places. With an unspoken signal the Blue Lanterns began to eat, and after a moment, so did their guests. They had been eating for some time when the sound of an impact shook the building. The assembled Lanterns rose as one to investigate. By the time they all managed to leave the building, two more impacts had echoed across the still planet. The sinking feeling Razer got as he stared into the crater only deepened when he saw what was crawling out. The eyes weren't the same, but the deathly pale skin highlighted the all-too-familiar markings. Razer could only step back in horror as the black-clad figure stood tall. The glowing eyes found his.

"Hello Razer," Ilana's dry voice said, "Long time no see."


	13. True Fear

"That's how we do it! Look at those poozers run!" Kilowogg bellowed to his recruits. It had taken them what felt like ages to beat back the pirates but now the colony they had been protecting was safe. Kilowogg quickly congratulated the young Lanterns for their help and gave them their new orders. Rest and then back to Oa.

"Green Lantern Kilowogg, your assistance is needed." A voice spoke out of Kilowogg's ring. He rolled his eyes. What could it possibly be? He was surprised when his ring projected Emmitt. He knew it was time then.

"What do you need Tin-Man?" Kilowogg asked him.

"I have decoded another section of the ritual. We will need a small amount of ground aurum."

"You do remember that that stuff is dangerous? Can't even use my powers when I'm around it."

"Which is why you must return to the place you first found it being mined. I have talked to the colony's chief and the chief has found a way to protect it for safe transportation."

"Aren't Razer and Aya closer? I can't exactly go into ultra-warp."

"Did I forget to mention Galia is there?"

"Why didn't you say so sooner?"

"It was, in human terms, my 'ace in the hole' to convince you. Not to mention that I can use a Star Sapphire portal to send you there instantly."

"Just tell me how much I need to grab."

"Sending you the measurements. Portal should open in 30 seconds." Emmitt closed communications as Kilowogg smiled. His day was getting better and better. When the portal opened, Kilowogg barreled in, ready for anything.

Anything except Galia's open arms. He was caught up in her hug before he even realized he had finished his journey.

"Kilowogg, it is you! When the queen ordered me to return home for a special mission from the Green Lanterns, I did not expect you." She joyously cried, swinging the Bolovaxian around as he returned the hug.

"Galia, it's wonderful to see you again! How much do you know?" Kilowogg asked, barely able to contain himself.

"Only that my assistance is necessary."

"We need to get some aurum. Tin-Man told me you guys had a way to shield it so we could get it back to Zamaron safely."

"We do. But there is something we must do first."

"What?" Kilowogg confusion cleared as Galia kissed him. "Oh."

Later the two left the settlement with a silvery box, roughly the size of an Earth guitar.

"If they ask why we're late, we had a hard time finding the right size crystal." Kilowogg told Galia. She could only smile on their way back.


	14. Homeward Bound (Part 2)

"So I asked the Guardians about it and they think it might be an infection caused by the bone fragment that was stuck in him. But they didn't have any more to say other than that." John Stewart told Batman as he looked over Hal's charts and monitors. The Green Lantern was sedated and strapped down, just in case. Even without his power ring Hal could be dangerous.

"There's no sign of infection, biologically or technologically based. We need Zatanna to check for any magical involvement. Scans of the extracted bone showed nothing useful." Batman explained, then turned as John Stewart jerked and powered down.

"Batman, this is Boston Brand. Hal's soul is blinded by death. You need to find a way to cure his soul." John Stewart told Bruce, then he jerked again and his power ring blazed back into power. Bruce waited for John to get his composure back.

"What did I miss?" John Stewart asked Batman.

"Just Deadman possessing you and passing on vital intel. Do you have any idea how to un-blind a soul?" The blank stare gave the detective his answer.

"Bruce, what is it?" Carol answered her phone, impatient for an update on Hal.

"We know what's causing it but we have a problem." Bruce explained.

"So you still can't help him?"

"That's where you come in. We have a theory that maybe the energy of the Star Sapphire could clear up the problem."

"I'm on my way." Carol hung up the phone and dug out the ring, its violet nature reflecting a strange gleam behind her. With a second to spare, she ducked as black energy passed through the area her head had been. She reacted, putting the ring on and coming up firing. But there wasn't anything other than shadows.

"The last time I saw you, you were still a child. My, how you've grown up." A voice called out to her from the darkness outside. It pulled on her mind, begging to be remembered.

"Yeah, well if you come out where I can see you, I'll show you how much I've changed." She told the lurking enemy.

"Such fire! Perhaps that's what drew him to you. Someone as weak-willed as him will always cling to the brightest light he can find." The voice chuckled, a dry sound in the night.

"No idea who you're talking about buster." Carol said as she swept the window frame and stepped out into the moonless night. She kept turning, alert for any sign of the voice's owner.

"Perhaps you are as deluded as him. It doesn't matter, he will soon lose the battle for his soul. Even now the master's plan comes to fruition."

"Are you talking about Hal?"

"Who else do you think could fail as utterly as him?"

"Hal hasn't failed anyone, and we won't fail him."

"Two unfortunate truths that the living tell themselves. But I think I am most ashamed of their short memories."

"Why don't you just tell me who you are?"

"Haven't you ever heard of wasting time? The longer you stay here, the shorter Hal's time gets. Not that you can stop it at this point anyways. Just thought you might want to give him your goodbye before he joined us."

"So this is all about Hal?"

"I still don't quite know what my son sees in you." The voice whispered from behind her. She turned, firing at the source. Her violet light illuminated a face similar to Hal's but different enough to bring the memories to the surface.

"Martin… but you…." Carol stepped back, wondering what had brought this thing back.

"Died? I did. Now I serve the master's plan. And that will require your death." Martin simply said, attacking Carol. Carol blocked and dodged the black energy as best she could. She could only hope that someone came.

"Bruce, we've got a problem." John came into the medical room and waited for Batman to turn to him.

"What?" Bruce couldn't really imagine what could make this worse. Zatanna couldn't help and Hal's vitals were slowly fading.

"Carol's being attacked by some kind of zombie Lantern that's tailing her all over the East Coast. She needs help."

"What are we waiting for?" And the two left, prayers silently running through their minds.

**In Hal's mind….**

Hal heard the voice speak, waking him up. Well, less heard than saw the words appear in the space around him.

"What are you doing here Hal Jordan?" It read-spoke, the words indigo against the blackness.

"You mean other than being a failure?" Hal sarcastically told the voice. He wasn't in the mood.

"You have not failed. You are blinded by the grief you unnecessarily feel."

"What does that even mean?"

"Look into yourself." The indigo words swirled together, forming a silver mirror. Hal stepped up, looking in.

Hal saw himself, pure green through to his very center. Except for the blackness that blanketed his eyes and shoulder.

"What is that?" He asked the mirror, hoping for an answer.

"It is death's sickness. It clouds your mind and soul. Only you can expel it. Will it from yourself." Came the reply. Hal focused and grabbed the black gunk that marred his soul. It put up a fuss as he ripped it off of himself. But once he was rid of it, the world around him turned green. With a quick look into the mirror, he saw he was clear of any blackness.

"Go, your friends need you." The mirror said before fading. Hal might have imagined it, but he could have sworn he saw a bit of indigo hiding near his heart.

**Real World…**

Hal's eyes opened and he jerked against the restraints. He struggled against them, but to no avail. Then Hal's ring came flying in, seeming to want to return as fast as possible. With his ring back on his hand, Hal powered up and broke free.

"Time for some payback." Hal told himself and set off, ready to fight.

Carol could only watch as the Justice League fell before the revived Martin Jordan. The only three left standing were her, Batman, and Green Arrow. And they were still losing. Any time one of them landed a hit, it just healed before they could exploit it. When Carol saw a green comet streaking towards them, she could only hope.

Her hope was answered with a reward as Hal slammed into the thing, blasting it through a nearby building and onto the street. With a quick grin and a burst of speed, Hal left the three standing there as he moved to attack the zombie.

"I guess I was wrong about you son." It told Hal, finally revealing its face to Hal. Hal was shocked as he looked into the face of his dead father.

"Not you too." Hal simply said as he lightly landed on the ground. The father and son stared at each other, waiting for the attack that would force them to fight.

"Who else, Harold?" Martin lunged in, grabbing at Hal. A quick shot from Carol and Hal struck Martin simultaneously. The zombie exploded, its ring breaking and landing on top of a pile of smoking ash. They all walked up, prepared for it to do anything. But it didn't do anything.

"Hal, can you explain what's going on?" Batman asked Hal.

"Yeah, we just fought a dead version of my dad. This started back on Oa when Erin showed up from the dead and went on a killing spree. Now he's loose in the universe and trying to kill everything. So we're trying to bring the real him back and that's actually why I came back." Hal explained, turning back to his friends and Carol.

"So once again you're off to save the universe and you might not come back." Carol darkly muttered, and Hal moved to her side.

"Carol…" He started to explain, only to be silenced by her.

"If you think I'm letting you go alone, just try and stop me." She told him flatly. Hal could only grin and kiss her. After a minute, Batman cleared his throat reminding them that there were other people around.

"So what do we need to do?" Batman asked Hal.

"You guys need to spread the word about these things. They're hurt by the green energy and it looks like they can be killed with a combination of Lantern Corp energies. I just need to quick take some dirt for the journey back to Zamaron." The detective nodded and watched as Hal used his ring to scoop out a large piece of the ground and Carol opened a portal back to the Star Sapphire homeworld. After the two left, Batman looked at Green Arrow.

"Does this happen very often?" Batman asked Hal's friend, who shrugged.

"Only if Hal's involved." Telling the detective what he already knew.


	15. Forgotten Sins (Part 2)

"Ilana. But you were dead. How…?" Razer breathed, his emotions jumbled.

"Oh, don't worry about it Razer, I'm not here for you. I'm here for her." Ilana venomously spat in Aya's direction. Razer stepped in front of Aya protectively, resulting in Ilana smirking.

"Just because I'm not here for you Razer, doesn't mean that someone else isn't." Razer barely processed what she said before something struck him from the side, carrying him off into the nearby cliff. Razer bounced off the rock, turning to face his opponent. As if the pain in his heart wasn't enough, he recognized this enemy as well.

"To think this is what you became. Sad really. I expected you to be dead." Oda said to him, his features twisted in death. He quickly attacked Razer, forcing him to fight back.

"Why is this happening? What force is twisting our dead against us?" Razer asked, trying to understand. He knocked the thing back towards the encampment, hoping to find aid there.

"Something you will never understand. Justice. Too bad about your precious hope." Razer could only look on as a powerful blast of black energy tore through the Blue Central Battery, destroying it in an implosive fireball.

"So you are the one who stole my face and my failure of a husband." Ilana told Aya as she kept her ring raised at the zombie.

"I will not let you harm him." Aya stated simply, her power blazing in the presence of so many Blue Lanterns.

"I don't want to harm him. I'm here to recruit him. You, I will harm." Ilana screeched as she flew at Aya. Aya threw up a shield, forcing the zombie to try to penetrate it. Aya used the reprieve to think. Razer was off facing another of these dead creatures. But what about the third impact?

Her question was answered by a bolt of black energy striking down a nearby Blue Lantern. Aya concentration broke as the Blue Lantern fell dead. Ilana used the opportunity and snatched up Aya to slam her into the ground.

"Give up hope, your Razer doesn't have the will to do what's necessary." Ilana told Aya as she stroked her face gingerly. Then Ilana dug her fingernails in as the Blue Lanterns battled the third enemy. But they were slowly losing until the enemy knocked them back with a powerful wave and turned its attention to the Blue Central Battery. With little effort on its part, it destroyed the channel of Hope.

Razer felt it. The burn of anger, the hate he had thought he had left behind. He charged the zombie, using energy-coated fists to drive it back until he saw Aya pinned by Ilana. He turned his attention to her, blasting the creature off of Aya. He pulled her up, only to be struck by a blast from Oda. He turned his ring on him at the same time as Aya. The energies collided, fusing and blasting the elderly zombie to dust. The realization struck them. The lights had to come together to overcome these creatures of death. Turning together, they held hands as they blasted the third enemy from the sky. With only one left, they looked for Ilana, who seemed to be waiting for them. The zombie smiled at them, almost carefree in it attitude.

"You're too late. We have fulfilled the master's mission." Ilana said before the couple fired, disintegrating the imposter. They turned back to see the devastation. Almost all the buildings had been damaged and everyone had some type of injury. But one of the Blue Lanterns would never get up again. Saint Walker, his normal smile gone, turned a serious eye to Razer.

"Go. Fix what needs repair." He ordered the Volkregian. Razer nodded, taking the time to grab the water before he and Aya left, intent on reaching Zamaron and bringing them the news, the good and the bad.

When they got back to Zamaron, they found out that one of the final ingredients needed was a Red Lantern Power Battery. Razer simply went to his room in the Interceptor and grabbed his old one, which had not left him just like his ring had. Fate seemed to value efficiency.


	16. The Ugly Truth

The entire crew assembled, plus the new additions, Emmitt began his speech.

"Friends and allies, we are close to the final goal. I have finished decoding the entirety of the ritual and now only one ingredient remains. The challenge comes from its location." Emmitt projected a map of known space and pointed it out.

"That's the middle of nowhere. There's only a few asteroids and no civilization to speak of within three star systems." Kilowogg pointed out.

"Which is why I'm concerned. The ritual explains that all involved must perform this journey, but I am hesitant. We have the problem of the dead rising and attacking us on our endeavors. This proves it to be the correct course of action, as our enemies impede our efforts. We must leave at once."

"Whoa, slow down." Carol told the group, speaking up for the first time since the group had come together. They had had enough time to swap stories but most of them were still recovering from their various fights.

"Carol's got a point here. We know that this 'master' of theirs has a plan. Which means they are organized and intelligent." Hal deduced, looking at the others who nodded their agreement.

"Anyone who has encountered them knows that this plan includes psychological warfare. We need to end this before they manage to finish any more of their missions across the universe. Let's leave already." Razer concluded, and the others prepared to leave. They sealed the chamber, with its trove of ingredients and research, and boarded the Interceptor. With renewed vigor, they set off.

**At the coordinates…**

"What are we looking for, exactly?" Hal asked Emmitt, scans constantly mapping the asteroids' paths.

"Let me input the equation into the navigational computer." Emmitt leaned over, typing faster than anyone could believe. Eventually, he slowed and completed the input. A push of a button and windshield lit up with a position marker. It appeared to be within an asteroid. A quick scan of it revealed a large cave system with a large central chamber.

The crew landed the Interceptor and set off into the caves, following the position marker all the way into the central chamber. The chamber was lit by a soft orange glow, and in the center of the chamber, some kind of alien sat. They studied him from the distance. His gray and reflective suit marked with the familiar symbol. His ageless face and his horns that curled around his head and ears like hair made it impossible to guess his age. When he opened his eyes, he revealed golden eyes with slit pupils, like a cat. He smiled to the large group, a warm and friendly gesture unlike every other Mirror Lantern symbol-wearing apparition they had met before.

"Welcome. You must be here for the object of his desire." It said, its voice a soft growl.

"Wait, isn't there only one Mirror Lantern at a time?" Kilowogg asked.

"Only one in each universe, yes. But you know of the existence of others beyond this one. Especially you, Hal Jordan."

"Good guess. So can you tell us where it is?" Hal diplomatically implored, earning a soft chuckle from the alien.

"I am technically its guardian. I am Feghan. But it is useless to you unless you know why he desires it."

"Does that mean you know why?"

"Of course. I will tell you why he desires this object." Feghan held up a pair of rings, fused together by some powerful force. Two Lantern rings; specifically one from a Green Lantern and one from a Star Sapphire. The group could only stare at the mangled pieces.

Feghan cleared his throat, returning their attention to him.

"The one you know as Erin is not who you think he is. You all have differing opinions of his possible origins. I will clarify this with the truth.

Erin was born in a different universe, one that was parallel to this one. He was born as the second child of two loving parents. Parents who would go on to become powerful forces of good with the help of their power rings. He was one of three children born to them, but he alone had the makings of being a normal child. Until the day he unleashed his hidden power.

When Erin was 12, a serial killer stalked through Coast City, claiming many victims. Most were too disfigured to identify, but Erin knew who they were. His power over the spirits of the dead manifested first as an ability to see them. But it bloomed when he stumbled across the killer in the act of trying to take another victim. He called on the vengeful spirits of his victims and the spirits killed the man. Erin was traumatized by this as the city called him a hero. The authorities claimed the killer had died of a heart attack brought on by the intervention of Erin. But Erin believed he had committed murder. I was sent to scout him out for recruitment to the Mirror Lanterns, as his heritage showed him capable of mastering the inner spectrum. But I was not the only one to be searching for him. Nekron, the embodiment of Death wanted him as his Herald. Nekron waited, using his powers to eat away at Erin's soul. Behind a façade of cheer and mirth hid a tortured boy.

Contrary to what you believe, the Mirror Lantern Corp is not like anything you have seen. Yes we guard the emotional spectrum, but we also guard the borders between the universes in the Multiverse. A Mirror Lantern is only chosen in times of extreme danger to the person or universe. Each Mirror Lantern becomes the protector of the universe they come from…."

"Sorry to barge in, but are you saying that Erin is some super-powered kid from another universe who was being hunted by Death itself?" Hal interjected, earning a cheerless chuckle from Feghan.

"Hard to believe is it not? But there is more. Back to my story."


	17. The Ugly Truth (Part 2)

"I watched him as he grew up, proving himself to be more and more worthy of our power and responsibilities. But I could not see into his heart and see the evils tearing him apart. He used his powers only once more that I know of, to save the life of his sister after an accident in a STAR Labs research facility. A scientist was slain and his sister infected with powerful nanites that nearly tore her body apart. But Erin spoke to the dead man's spirit, and found out how to save her. She survived, gaining greater powers than afforded to her by her already formidable heritage and Green Lantern ring."

"Hold on, so Erin's from somewhere else, I can handle that. But saying something like that makes us want to know more." Kilowogg told Feghan.

"Of course I will tell you more of his family. His father became a Green Lantern and his mother a Star Sapphire. The day he was born, he nearly died from an unknown cause. His first day of life spent alongside the borders of Death likely gave him a foot in both worlds. That is likely where his power comes from."

"So those rings are his parents' aren't they?" Razer asked, his observant nature helping reach this conclusion.

"His older sibling, his sister was a genius with mathematics and programming. She earned her ring when she helped refugee Volkregians on Mars."

"Wait, what?" Razer perked up, confused.

"In that universe, a large group of refugees fled Volkreg and made their way to Mars, the planet near Earth. They terraformed it and lived peacefully with the expanding humans they came into contact with. But when the nanites nearly claimed her life, the Volkregians were able to help her rehabilitate and gain new powers over technology. She had unfortunately become partially synthetic but a member of the refugees saw past that and eventually married her. His younger brother was quite the physical one. But in my observations, he had no malice or desire to harm anyone. Which fit with his abilities. He was nearly indestructible and capable of creating powerful energy shields and crystals from his body. He became a superhero in his own right, often fighting alongside his family and the Justice League."

"Uh, where does Erin fit into this again?" Kilowogg interrupted, trying to keep track of what they had come for.

"I was getting to that. Though he never shared the existence of his power with his family, they suspected he had some power. He and his family were incredibly close, even though they were all essentially super beings other than Erin. Nekron used that closeness against them. He confronted Erin, telling him that if the boy did not defeat him, he would claim his family's souls for payment of his power over the dead. Erin agreed to the challenge. He fought Nekron using everything he had, and with his power he seemed close to victory. But it didn't matter whether he won or not, his family had already been slain by Nekron so they wouldn't interfere and possibly save Erin, something he didn't know nor will he ever be told so.

Their rings came in search of new hosts as Erin lay defeated by Nekron. Nekron forged a ring, a weapon that would slay Erin and use his body to bring about the end of the universe. But as four rings claimed him, I acted. I released the Mirror Lantern ring for him, and in an instant it all happened. He made his choice but the black ring wouldn't take no as answer. Neither would his parents' rings. The fight over him released so much energy that it destroyed his universe. I barely managed to pull him out in time, but the black ring had embedded itself in him during the final moments of that existence. I brought him here along with the two rings wielded by his parents that had been fused together. I wiped his memory myself, planting false ones for him to find. He has no memory of his fight with Nekron, nor does he know of the death of his universe. You only know so that you have proper context. The dead being claiming to be Erin is the ring that had been repressed by the power of the Mirror Lantern. Do not feel angry at Erin for its actions. I will conclude this story as any more is not mine to tell."

"But wait, who are his parents? You said that his universe is parallel to ours and that his parents were Lanterns, but you didn't name them." Hal spoke up, wanting to answer a sneaking suspicion.

"The answer is quite simple. His parents are Hal Jordan and Carol Ferris. He is your child Green Lantern and Star Sapphire of Earth." Feghan said sagely, floating serene as the crew stood shocked.

"No way." Razer finally said, looking at Hal and Carol, who were more than a little confused.

"In the parallel universe, you were older and did not receive your rings when you did here. But you are not the only ones in Erin's story. Do not forget his siblings. Their counterparts stand here as well." Feghan motioned to the assembled group, causing everyone to look at each other.

"Don't keep us in suspense." Emmitt asked of his fellow Mirror Lantern.

"The Earth of that universe had already discovered space travel so aliens were a common sight. The firstborn daughter was named Aya and she married a Volkregian refugee by the name of Razer. The youngest son was named Emmitt, best known for his overly gentle and studious nature despite his size." The shocked crew turned to the two former machines who could only stare at Feghan in shock.

"What else happened?" Hal asked, his curiosity piqued to no end. The Mirror Lantern alien tossed Hal the conjoined rings, and then shrugged his shoulders.

"You are better off asking Erin yourself. I will await my eventual calling." Feghan closed his eyes, then faded into nothingness before their eyes. The crew looked at each other, making sure they had all seen it and headed back to the ship in silence. It wasn't until they were headed back to Zamaron that someone spoke.

"You know that does explain some things." Razer pointed out, earning him more than a few looks. Undaunted, he continued, "I mean think about it. Who else could be as reckless as Hal other than his own son?"

"Hey, he's technically not my son. His dad is an alternate Hal." Hal rebutted.

"One who died. Which explains why he practically clung to you and your example. Not to mention his natural affinity for the violet energy."

"Okay, I'm really confused now. Is he or isn't he Hal's kid?" Kilowogg exasperatedly said, tired of thinking himself in circles.

"We are not his family, but we are close analogs to them and we are all similar. Therefore, Erin likely considers us 'family' in both senses of the word." Aya explained, seemingly happy at the revelation.

"You just want more of a reason to justify calling him brother, don't you?" Gi'ata inquired, not wanting to be left out of the healthy debate.

"Why would I not? He performed actions that consistently defined a familial bond that did not require blood ties."

"Good point." Razer told Aya, holding her hand. The confirmation of their love as a universal constant seemed to embolden him.

"Let's just finish this up and get on to the major problem." Hal ordered, pushing the ship to set a new record on the trip back to Zamaron. He had had enough with parallel universes for a lifetime.


	18. Rituals are Made to be Broken

**Back on Zamaron…**

The crew went back to the chamber, ready for the ritual to begin. They did as Emmitt told them to do, spacing themselves around the crystal box and each one was holding a different ingredient. Hal held the Earth dirt, Carol held the Hope water, Aya held the power ring, Razer held the power battery, Gi'ata held the conjoined rings and Emmitt held the aurum.

"I need you guys to be the chorus on this." Emmitt told them. Everyone nodded, ready to start.

Emmitt cleared his throat and projected the spoken part of the ritual so everyone could read their parts. He began:

"Cradle of love, birth him from death." The crystal box started to pulse with some kind of inner light, matching the beat of everyone's hearts.

"Let him live. Let him live." The others echoed.

"Flesh of his world, protect him from death." Hal poured in the dirt, filling the box.

"Let him live. Let him live."

"Blood of Hope, cleanse him of death." Carol poured the water on, watching as the dirt collapsed into the shape that was vaguely human. It looked like a dirt-colored mannequin was taking a bath through the crystal.

"Let him live. Let him live."

"Power of Rage, his weapon against death." Razer set the power battery over the thing's chest and let it fall into the water. It slid in without a ripple and fell into the humanoid body at the bottom.

"Let him live. Let him live."

"Desire, give him reason to fight death." Gi'ata let the ring fall over the thing's head. Once it sunk into the dirt-human, its features became sharply defined. It was clearly Erin, but nothing more than a good mud replica at the moment.

"Let him live. Let him live."

"Fear in life, guide him from death." Emmitt crushed the aurum, spreading across the water's surface. As it sank into the mud, it turned to a flesh color.

"Let him live. Let him live."

"Hand of Will, hide him from death." Aya let the ring fall, tracing the same path that Razer's power battery had taken. This time it sunk in and the chest began to heave, heavy breaths that did not break the stillness of the water's surface.

"Let him live. Let him live."

"Allies in life, his strength against death." An indigo mist leaked off all the participants, floating over and sinking into the water and the body at the bottom. The water started to bubble, obscuring their view.

"Let him live. Let him live."

"Lost love's touch, return him from death!" Gi'ata stepped forward, and let her fingers touch the bubbling water. As soon as she made contact, the water vanished, revealing Erin whole and seeming asleep in the box. They waited, watching, hoping. Erin's eyes opened, and he burst up, eyes bugging out as he gasped. He looked around, his hand on his forehead.

"That was one hell of dream." He said, falling back into the box as his ring appeared on his finger, a perfect copy of Emmitt's. Everyone could only look at what they had done. They had actually done it. He was back.


	19. Dark Reflections

So I woke with a killer headache and a burning desire to figure out what happened. Last thing I remembered I had flown into that alternate universe to die with the Anti-Monitor and then I was sitting in a crystal box while my friends and other people stood around me. This was going to be one of those days. One of the plusses I did have was my actual memories were back. Not the crazy fake BS that Feghan put in my head; just my actual past. I looked to the right and noticed Hal.

"Hal, get me up to speed. I'm not dead which means something happened." I said, climbing out of the fancy tub and looking at Hal. Hal didn't respond immediately, instead he looked at me dumbfounded.

"Slow down Erin, you just got back to being alive." Hal said, trying to calm me down. I didn't want to be calm, I needed to fix whatever needed fixing. I looked down as I caught the light of the rising sun. Back to my old outfit, reflective panels and all.

"Yeah, which means something happened. You gonna tell me or do I have to figure it out for myself?" I looked him in the eye. He decided to tell me when I got distracted. I got distracted by Gi'ata. More specifically, her standing there. I floated over, wrapping her in my embrace. We held each other as Hal blathered about undead twins and something else. Gi'ata and I looked into each other's eyes and I could see all the questions in her eyes. I silenced them with a long kiss. A kiss so long that Hal had to clear his throat several times to remind me that I had ears.

"If you're done, there are more important things to do." Hal commented. I turned to him and nodded, then dropped to one knee. I held Gi'ata's hands and looked up at her.

"Gi'ata, I didn't have a chance to ask before I left, so…." I started only to be interrupted by Hal.

"Not what I meant." Hal said, only to be shushed by a combination of my murderous look and Carol's hand over his mouth. Carol gave me the go-ahead and I started again.

"As I was saying, I've been meaning to ask you…" My words fell silent as Gi'ata covered my mouth with her hand. I stood up and looked at her, worried I had blown it.

"Ask me after we've won." Her eyes swimming in tears of happiness. She was just glad I was back. I kissed her quickly and Kilowogg spoke up.

"C'mon we got a universe to save from Shiny's evil twin." He said, turning back to leave. Everyone else turned to follow. Even Gi'ata.

"Duty calls, I guess." I told Gi'ata, running after her.

On the trip back to Oa, we got a call from the head gnome.

"2814, this Appa-Ali-Apsa of the Guardians. This an emergency broadcast. The creature that attacked us previously has taken control of Oa with the help of billions of resurrected beings, former Lanterns included. Whatever you have been doing must be put to rest until we can retake Oa." The hologram said. Now seemed like as good a time as any to let the Guardians in on the big conspiracy. I stepped where he could see me behind Hal.

"Hey, I just got back to being alive so I think I'm entitled to give you orders. Don't attack them, I have an idea and we're going to need the element of surprise. Understand? Good." Then I promptly cut him off with Hal's customary cut-off. Everyone looked at me, not sure what to expect any more.

"You have a plan?" Hal asked, looking worried.

"Of course. So you say that these things can be hurt by green and killed with a combo of colors? And this evil me is trying to summon this universe's equivalent of Nekron, at least that's my guess. We're going to need a lot of power in that case. That thing isn't going to give up easily and it has an army. It's time to make a few calls." I told them and we began to set the plan in motion. I'll save you guys the details as it will add to the suspense.


	20. Dark Reflections (Part 2)

So we got to the space around Oa and the Guardians were there on a ship surrounded by the Green Lantern Corp. A quick docking and we were standing in front of them.

"I hope you plan to fill us in on this plan of yours, Mirror Lantern. We will expect your cooperation after this fiasco as well." Appa said, looking indignant.

"First of all gnome, I don't work for you so either show some respect or step off. Second, this all started because of you guys and your constant lying about your actions. I will however, let this go and provide my cooperation on the condition that you come clean. About all of it. And you've got maybe hours to decide whether you accept, because at that point the baddies win and Death walks into this universe and kills everyone." I told them, impervious to their glares. They did their weird look and nod routine and came up with an answer.

"Fine. Now tell us, what is your plan?" Appa conceded, looking desperate.

"I'm going to war and you guys are going to be the key to final victory." I told him, looking out the window at the Lanterns waiting for orders.

"That's insane. No single Lantern can fight one of them, let alone an army."

"Who says I'm doing it alone. I have a contingent of Mirror Honor Guard waiting on my call and the other Lanterns will be here soon enough."

"What do you mean other Lanterns…?"

"I sent out the call. This is the only chance we have. Stand united or fall. Each Lantern Corp is en route. All their members have been briefed and now they're waiting for the signal to attack." I turned away, leaving the Guardians stunned. I didn't care, it was time. I went out to meet with the others who were waiting at their positions for the coming battle.

"So you going to tell us where this Honor Guard of yours is?" Hal asked, still unsure about the plan. Most of the Lanterns were already in position, even Agent Orange, who was only there with the promise of something all his own.

"Do you remember how I told about the powers that I inherited from my predecessors? I can access them because their spirits are part of the Prism meaning that they are waiting to protect the emotional spectrum and combined with my… special skill, I can call them back to aid us in this fight. I'm going to need someone representing each part of the spectrum when it comes down to the final battle. Which means I going to need you guys there for this, as well as some others. Some of the dead are going to come after you guys, so be ready." I told him, turning to the two Mirror Lanterns who waited off to the side. I nodded to Feghan who went to his position, and Emmitt who waited anxiously.

"Are you ready for this?" I asked him, as he looked at his customary indigo uniform. Like most Mirror Lanterns, he chose a color he preferred to wield as his own.

"Will this work? Are you sure that only I can…" His voice trailed off. Doubt clouded his mind. I put my hand on his shoulder and smiled.

"I know it will. Now come on, everyone's ready and its time compassion got its chance to show its power." I told him as the last of the various Lanterns arrived. I went to my spot and created a megaphone construct.

"Today, we stand not as different Corps, but as the defenders of life. Today, we fight and earn our right to live. Fight well." I announced and summoned the spirits to me. All of them responded, forming themselves into glittering forms emblazoned with our symbol. Without that accursed ring stuck in me, I'm as powerful as I should be. I heard the shrieks before I could see the coming hordes of the evil dead.

"Honor Guard of the Mirror, stand ready!" I shouted as the spirits readied their weapons of choice. Here goes nothing.

"Charge!" I ordered, leading the silvery ghosts as the Black Lantern dead came at us. The Lanterns surged, prepared to do what had to be done. The fighting was brutal, the dead waging a war around the living. I broke through, heading for the surface as several spirits followed and kept the baddies away as I landed near the Central Battery. Eventually the others pushed through. Zox and Bleez; Agent Orange; Feghan; Hal, Kilowogg, and Aya; Razer and Saint Walker; Emmitt; and Carol, Galia and Gi'ata. Waiting there was the Black Lantern version of me, standing in front of an unfinished arch. The others battled any reinforcements that came for their Herald.

"I was wondering when they would figure it out." It said to me. It created a black energy sword, ready to duel. This thing was the nightmarish equivalent of a funhouse mirror. And believe me, I know mirrors.

"Don't you know? You've already lost. I'm back and I'm not letting this happen." I told it, creating my own violet shield and mace. We circled for a moment, before striking. We fought like that for a few minutes as the air above us gradually cleared of the dead. The others watched, waiting for the moment.

"Give it up. Your army is defeated." I told it, and instead it lunged, knocking away our weapons and tackling me. It got on top as we wrestled, looking into my eyes with its own replacements.

"Unfortunately, you can't stop me. Not without the full spectrum. And this universe doesn't have enough to stop me." It said, its arms holding me down as I struggled. I managed to fire a shot, one that went high and wide. It chuckled, chiding my aim.

"Now it's time to die again." It raised its ring, black energy crackling. I couldn't help but laugh.

"Too bad you made a mistake."

"What would that be?" It sneered, its victory assured.

"You thought I was aiming for you." I looked over its shoulder as the full spectrum's range blasted into it. The zombie turned in surprise, only to be blasted back in pain. I took my chance. I flew up to meet the others, they fired another volley this time aimed at me. I felt the surge as the energies united in me, and everything turned white other the zombie me and his arch. I fired all the energy I had in me at it. The blast of white annihilated it, flying into the arch and disintegrating it as well. The huge surge left, leaving all of us tired and waiting around the Central Battery. Gi'ata came over to me as the others checked in on everyone else. Agent Orange was looking around, searching for anything he could grab before he went back where he belonged.

"Is it truly over?" She asked as her hands slipped into mine.

"Yes my love. But I don't think I'm going to be able to recharge for a while." I joked and shook my badly burned ring hand, relief flooding through me. Gi'ata concentrated and I saw her eyes glow violet as she expended some energy healing up the burns. Not necessary but the gesture was more important than the reason. A quick confirmation from Hal. No more zombies running around.

It was over.


	21. Over When Its Over (Which is Never)

So that's my story. A lot of things happened after that. I proposed to Gi'ata and she happily agreed to marry me. Emmitt went off to find new recruits for the Mirror Lantern Corps. Feghan went off to wherever he goes to report things like this. Razer and Aya got engaged, and so did practically everyone else. Hal and Carol, Kilowogg and Galia, even Ganthet and Sayd. Arrangements were made and we all decided to hold the ceremonies on Odym, since Oa was still celebrating the defeat of the Herald and the new heroes of Oa. Lots of peoples across the universe owed their lives to the crew of the Interceptor (me especially) and all I got was a statue on Oa. My vanity aside, the weddings were beautiful. And simultaneous. Did I mention that? Nothing like a quadruple wedding with the two overseers getting hitched at the end as well. Maybe now the universe could let us have some peace. Or if it won't, the Interceptor's rooms are big enough to be honeymoon suites.


	22. Cold Fury (Episode 20 Cold Fury)

A/N: This is a diverging story arc following more closely to the canon TV show.

** "****Razer."**

**"****Aya, we have much to speak of but now is not a good time." The poozer couldn't even look at her when he spoke.**

Erin tried to stand up, tried to intervene as he felt his body go rigid.

_Your actions would eliminate their ability to choose. Countermeasures activated._ The ring spoke into his mind as he was locked into his own seat.

"No, it is not. What would you do if emotions were interfering with your performance?" He heard Aya ask, knowing what Razer's response would be.

"Simple. I only think of the job at hand. I shut down everything else." Razer answered. Erin screamed and tried to get around the ring's lock on his body, but failed to elicit more than a grunt from his frozen face.

"Shut down everything else." Aya whispered. Erin forced his eyes to turn to her, to try and plead with her to stop listening to Razer. To trust more in the emotion than the person.

"Aya, what's the matter? Get back to your station!" Hal ordered as more enemy fire shook the Interceptor. Aya looked down as she calculated her course of action.

"That will not enable us to survive this encounter. I know what must be done." She replied. A wave of energy spread down her as Erin felt the love tether between her and Razer violently sever. Aya had shut down her emotions, and Erin could only watch as she strode away. The crew felt the ship lurch to a halt as all their panels displayed low energy readings.

Erin screamed at the ring in his mind, yelling about how he had rewritten the rules of the Mirror Lantern so it should let him free.

_Altering the programming of an alternate universe faction does not alter the programming of interdimensional systems. _The ring replied as it refused to let up its hold on his body.

"Now what?" Hal groaned as he set off to find out what was happening. The others watched as Aya emerged in glowing display of power, being chased by Hal. Aya shot Hal, blasting him back into the disabled ship. Hal raced back up, and found the crew watching as Aya smashed her way through the battlefield.

"That's not Aya." Razer said, denying what he was seeing. No one seemed to have noticed Erin still locked in his seat.

"Razer's right. She doesn't know what she's doing. Aya! Stand down! The Red Lanterns are on our side!" Hal commanded as Aya threw a ship at the Anti-Monitor. The resulting explosion consumed the ship, no signs of escape pods.

"I think she knows what she's doing Jordan. But doesn't care." Kilowogg sadly told Hal. They watched as Aya threw herself into the monster's chest, blasting its head clean off. The Manhunters deactivated as one. The Anti-Monitor's body reached out, grabbing the ship in a forcefield and pulling it closer. They saw Aya had plugged herself into the body and was now controlling it.

"What are you doing? It's not safe." Razer said to Aya as she coldly stood by.

"I do not see why you would be concerned about the safety of a 'mere machine' Razer." Aya told him in a voice as flat as they had ever heard her speak.

"Please Aya, come back here with us." Razer begged her, trying to reach to anything left of the Aya he knew.

"Do you think I am a robot slave to be ordered about by you?" Her voice turned deadly, filled with could only be called a cold fury.

"That's not what he's saying. You don't seem well." Hal interjected, trying to draw some the heat from Razer.

"As if you care about my kind."

"You're talking crazy Aya. You just saved everyone. We're thankful. Now let's destroy the rest of these Manhunters and get out of here." Kilowogg told her.

"You will not harm them. They're foolish children doing as they were told. They are not to blame." Aya stated matter-of-factly, "They function without emotion, as I do now. I shall be their queen. I will decide what becomes of them."

Aya released a pulse, reactivating the Manhunters. Erin felt the ring start to give under his constant assault. He felt his body stand, looking up at Aya. At what she had become.

"Calm down Aya. Something's wrong with you." Hal soothed only for Aya to fire back.

"Incorrect! For the first time everything is working properly. But you, all of you, are flawed. Driven by your emotions, you cause only pain and suffering." Razer flinched under the hidden accusation as the others sat by in indecisiveness. Could they fight Aya if she attacked? Erin tried to force words past his lips, only for the ring to force his body back into its seat.

"I reject you and your kind. I reject you all." She stated and blasted them backwards. Erin felt the ring release control as the ship hurdled wildly into space. One threat had been defeated, but at the cost of a whole new one.


	23. Babel (Episode 21 Babel)

The ship drifted through space, powerless to slow or change their course. The crew tried to find any scrap of power left in the ship. Or their rings.

"That's it. Aya's little stunt left us high and dry." Kilowogg said.

"I can see that. And my ring is under 5%." Hal replied. Erin just looked at them and back at Emmitt, who had been deactivated to try and conserve his own power unless it was absolutely necessary.

"Yeah I'm near that too." Kilowogg echoed, looking at his own ring.

"To think I left my power battery on Zamaron because I thought I wouldn't need it for a jaunt to Oa. Lesson learned." Erin told them as he looked at his most hated and needed piece of equipment.

"It's a wonder we have any power left. Ring or otherwise." Razer stated as he came up from the engine room. With no Aya, he was the most experienced to do anything about the ship.

"How's it look down there?" Hal asked the red engineer.

"The main battery is still as dry as the Segocian Desert." Razer explained.

"What was Aya thinking?" Kilowogg asked the assembled Lanterns, hoping someone had an idea.

"She wasn't. At least not in the way she normally does. Once you two wizards find a way to get the Interceptor moving, we can go find and help her." Hal told them, indicating that Erin and Razer would have to come up with the plan.

"All in all, it could still be worse." Hal continued, only to have the classic cliché of something happening occur. The ship plunged for the surface of a nearby planet.

"And now it is. We've drifted into a planet's gravity well. It's pulling us into the atmosphere." Razer told them as Erin shot Hal the dirtiest look he could.

"Had to say something, didn't you?" He asked as he slid to the front consoles.

"We're in no shape for a crash-landing. And our rings are too low to abandon ship." Kilowogg exclaimed.

"We need to get more power to the guidance systems so I can land us." Hal told the assembled group, thinking on his feet as always.

"But how?" Kilowogg asked.

"Are you sure we can't hook-up a personal battery to do that?"

"I told you, those things are sucked dry. Nothing but junk now."

"Mine still has a charge." Razer pointed out, a glimmer of hope turning Kilowogg back to Hal.

"Do you think we could use it?"

"Probably damage something, but better than dead." Erin noted.

"Do it!" Hal ordered Razer. Razer went back to grab it as the others went to prepare the engine room as best as they could. Using some of his charge, Erin created some red energy interfaces for the battery as Razer set to work.

"We will not be getting the seven-comet safety rating for this." Kilowogg interjected as Razer readied to hook up the battery.

"It's a plumber's nightmare all right, but will it work?" Hal asked Razer.

"We have no choice but to find out. Set your personal shields to maximum." Razer said. He hesitated, before commenting, "By the way, if we do explode… you three are…acceptable souls to be vaporized with." Erin smiled as Kilowogg became confused.

"Wait, what now?' He said before Hal cut him off.

"No time for goodbye speeches. Fire up the engine." Hal told Razer. Razer held the links together as Hal and Kilowogg headed for the bridge. Moving beside Razer, Erin added his own strength to the monumental task of keeping the red energy flowing into systems built for green power. They felt every jolt and bump as Hal tried to set them down without dying. He accomplished it by bouncing the ship off rock formations deep in a desert.

"All right. Any landing you can walk away from, right?" Hal tried to joke as everyone groaned from their various landings on the instruments.

"You say that a lot but I don't think it's true." Kilowogg responded between groans.

"Razer, you and Erin all right?" Hal asked via his ring.

"I'm fine." Razer replied as he looked at his battered companion.

"Mostly because he kept bouncing off of me." Erin explained.

"But my personal battery looks worse than yours." Razer continued. "I made need to steal a new one." With a sigh, Razer and Erin made their way up to the bridge.

"Oh great. Now what?" Kilowogg asked Hal.

"No biggie. We'll wait for the main battery to recharge, power up our rings and seal the cracks. Back in business." Hal stated, looking rather smug.

"The main will take 10 hours to recharge Jordan."

"So we hang until then. I could use a nap." Razer looked at his ring, analyzing the air leaking into the ship.

"I don't believe that would be wise. This planet's atmosphere is mostly methane, and it's leaking into the ship." Razer told them, watching the windshield. The others turned as the windshield gave way with a crackling sound. Four shields bloomed, two green one red, one violet. With little hesitation, they left the ship and quickly spotted a domed settlement.

"We need to get to that settlement. We'll use it as a life-boat until the main battery recharges." Hal didn't get any complaints about this plan. They set off, only to fall from the sky.

"Not enough juice left for flight." Hal remarked.

"That settlement is easily 25 kilometers away." Razer objectively told them.

"Nothing like a brisk midday run for our lives. Try and keep up" Kilowogg sarcastically ordered. Erin was first to take off after the Bolovaxian, quickly followed by Hal and Razer.

"Heart of gold and suit of green. Lantern Corp are lean and mean." Kilowogg sing-songed to keep a pace.

"Now I wish my eardrums might burst to spare me the agony of hearing that." Erin remarked. After close to an hour of trudging under the planet's infernal sunlight, Hal decided it was time for him to join in.

"Guardians make my head hurt. Appa's face is old as dirt." Hal said as Erin suppressed a chuckle.

"A cadence is supposed to keep you moving. That doesn't even rhyme." Kilowogg pointed out to the confusion of the human Lanterns.

"Really? It does in our language." Hal explained to his friend.

"Our rings just translate other languages, they can't make them rhyme." Kilowogg reminded Hal.

"Or make them any less irritating." Razer finally spoke up.

"Who's irritating?" the Green lanterns chorused.

"Anyone wearing green, apparently." Razer answered. Erin breathed a sigh of relief, reminding them that he was there. "Or pink for that matter."

"Low blow. And it's violet." Erin responded, bristling in his exhaustion.

"Well you're no picnic either. Luckily, we're here." Hal pointed out.

"Hal Jordan, Green Lantern Sector 2814. These are my associates." Hal spoke to the protected defenses.

"Green Lanterns! Kill them!" Came the reply, followed by the turret defenses opening fire. Everyone ran for cover, dodging and sprinting as fast as they could.

"Way to fucking go Hal. Way to fucking go." Erin muttered between deep breaths.

"Language!" Hal reminded him, earning a dirty look from the boy.

"Apparently they're not big fans of the law around here." Razer suggested with as much sarcasm as he could muster.

"No kidding, let's think of a plan before our rings run out." Hal judiciously decided.

"Don't you remember anything from boot camp? There's a Lantern protocol for this type of situation. But it takes precision timing, and above all communication and teamwork. So listen carefully: Puwhetzel vecha uvan ed uminov decoy." Kilowogg told them. The others became immensely confused.

"Come again?" Hal asked.

"Krakgar…?" Kilowogg said as his ring ran out of power. Hal watched as Kilowogg started to choke on the methane. Hal soon joined Kilowogg as his own ring ran out of power. Razer quickly formed a shield over them as Erin started to look at his own ring's slowly pulsing light.

"Paka." Kilowogg thanked Razer.

"What did you just say?" Hal asked the Bolovaxian.

"Uv Herk Kuger who sufo fendin." Kilowogg replied in his native language.

"Your ring's have no power. Your translator's are offline." Razer remarked. The two depowered lanterns asked Razer why they could still understand him in their own languages.

"The same reason you're still breathing. But I don't have much power left either. And if Erin wastes any he's dead before we are. So I suggest we find a way inside that dome." Razer said. As the two depowered Lanterns followed Razer, Erin seemed to enjoy the fact that no one remembered his ring was still translating. When they heard a convoy coming through, the Lanterns worked together to get onto the last vehicle and stow away. Once they were inside, Razer dropped the shield to try conserve his remaining power.

"Let's get somewhere safe to hole up. We need 4 more hours until the battery recharges, then we have to find a way to get back to the ship. Razer, can you run that again for Kilowogg?" Hal asked the Red Lantern, seemingly oblivious to Erin at this point. When he turned back, he saw the last bit of power in Razer's ring fade.

"Ono mung milo." Razer remarked. "Zatiza ma abu."

"Oh, great." Hal said mostly himself. "Okay no worries."

"You said it Razer." Erin's voice barely carried to them.

Erin was back at the edge of the alley, slumped boneless against the wall. His suit had faded but he was still breathing. They had to hold him up but it seemed that his ring's more lethal side-effect was apparently based on him actually wearing the ring.

"You and I are the only ones who can understand each other kid, don't fail me now." Hal said as they set him down next to the group.

"Because I'm so helpful currently, what with my inability to feel my legs or do more than breathe and speak?" Erin sarcastically responded. Even if Razer didn't understand the words, he got the gist of it and laughed at Hal.

"Think Jordan….Got it!" Hal said as he tried to mime his way into being understood.

"Poo-zer." Kilowogg responded, earning a chuckle from Erin. At least they were all having some fun at Hal's expense. Kilowogg walked down the alley further as Hal turned his attempts to Razer. Seeing an incoming patrol, Kilowogg grabbed Razer and Hal. He pulled them through the doors, just as the guards walked by. They heard a noise of surprise.

"Get your hands off me you damn dirty fish-monkeys!" Erin's voice called out, reminding them that they had just left him out there.

"Woohps." Hal muttered before turning around to realize where they were. The aliens in the busy tavern turned to the new arrivals, intent clear. With a flurry of motion, Razer and Hal pushed Kilowogg back out onto the streets, picking him up and running from the pursuing aliens. They quickly hid, throwing their pursuers off for the time being.

"Yatansa, yatansa." An alien signaled them, trying to get them to follow them.

"Mayadi ahampo." Razer told Hal, before starting down after the stranger. The others followed.

"Quiza kon mo castoy?" It asked, pointing to a small craft.

"This could come in handy getting back to the ship." Hal remarked, stepping closer to the ship. Their new friend pushed Hal back muttering something in his language.

"Han vikgree slum." Kilowogg pointed out, rubbing his fingers together in the universal sign of money.

"Oh you want us to pay you." Hal understood, pulling things from his pockets.

"Let's see what I have on me. A set of keys, a half-a-pack of gum…" He said pulling the things from his pockets. Judging by the alien's face, it wasn't enough.

"It's all I have. Kilowogg, what have you got?" Hal asked his friend, who pulled some grubs from his pockets and added them to the pile. Hal remarked, "Gross."

When the alien turned his face to Razer expectantly, the Volkregian silently stepped forward pulling a variety of small weapons from his hidden pockets. Even with the small armory, the alien wasn't impressed. When Hal's phone rang from within the pile, the alien became excited, jabbering.

"The phone? It's yours." Hal told him as the alien eagerly snatched it up. Instead it frowned, pointing to the picture being displayed on it. A picture of Carol.

"You want Carol?" Hal asked, incredulous confusion turning into slight anger. "That's not going to happen. Can you guys help me explain here?"

Kilowogg took his cue and smacked the alien into the boxes that made up the alley walls, knocking it out.

"That's not what I had in mind." Hal told them. He heard jabbering behind him and saw the group they had eluded earlier had found them again. "But it did the trick." They ran to the small vehicle, fighting over who would fly it. Taunts and curses were thrown around in various languages as Razer and Hal had ended up in the same control area and were fighting for the control stick. As the alien law enforcement forced them to crash their little joyride. They quickly attempted to fend off the aliens, but they were soundly defeated.

Hal was the first to wake up in the cell he now shared with Razer and Kilowogg.

"It's so good to see people that care enough for me to get themselves jailed after they ditch me in an alley." A weak voice called out to Hal from the shadows as Kilowogg and Razer groaned themselves awake.

"Erin?" Hal asked, finally seeing the boy's pale face contrasting with his dark clothes.

"Who else is going to speak English out here Hal? Did I mention you left me in an alley?" Erin's emotions giving some strength to his voice.

"We didn't mean to." Hal said rather weakly. Honestly, most of them had kind of forgotten about Erin since he had actually kept his mouth shut for more than five minutes.

"Tell that to the guard who tried to take my ring. He'll have a scar for it." Erin smiled as he dragged himself up the rungs that made up their cage. Hal was surprised when Erin managed to stand, if only because the last time they had seen him he couldn't even move on his own.

"On the bright side, the ship's battery should be charged by now. They still have no idea what I'm saying, don't they?" Hal asked Erin, who shot him a withering look from his corner.

"Looks like they're setting us up for some kind of gladiator thing." Hal remarked, looking out the far side of the cage as the others stepped up next to him.

"No, they want to throw us a giant banquet." Erin sassed, his mood clearly darker than usual.

"What's your problem today?"

"They might not have taken my ring but they still got a ring off of me." Erin reached into his pocket and pulled out a black felt box.

"You mean…" Hal couldn't exactly process it at first. The day was getting weirder and wilder with every moment.

"Yes, I was going to right before I came back to Oa to join up with you guys. I figured it would be a quick thing, but now it looks like I'll never get to ask her." Erin slumped heavily against the bars, watching as another cage opened on the far side. A scrawny one of the aliens walked out of the cage, looking around in mild confusion.

"We're supposed to fight that guy? It's almost an insult." Hal remarked, looking at Razer who merely looked back with his usual stone face. They turned back when a loud growl shocked their senses. They watched as a massive creature slowly chased down the alien and ate it.

"Now he could be a problem." Hal said right before their cage opened. They all tried to back away, only to be forced out using electric prods and a moving wall.

"Guys, our best chance is to attack his legs and bring him down to our level!" Hal shouted over the beast's thunderous steps. Razer surged forward.

"Cuandu Quan-go." He said as he pulled shurikens from his pockets to attack with. The weapons bounced off the thing's hide, resulting in another comment from Razer.

"Frek-Lo! Drey sha Razer!" Erin called out. Hal was surprised as Razer ducked under the initial blow of the creature as it pulled out a whip. The second swing lassoed Razer and swung him into the wall.

"You speak Volkregian?" Hal asked the boy as Razer was thrown aside.

"Enough of it to communicate. Don't know where or how but it's made it a lot more fun to mess with Razer." Erin smirked. Even in the face of death, he couldn't be totally serious. Hal tried to give Kilowogg orders only for Kilowogg and Erin to go check on Razer. The beast turned its attention to Hal and swung. Hal dodged, only for the thing to pick up Kilowogg with its whip and throw him back at Hal.

"No man escapes the Manhunters." Hal heard a voice call out, making him notice the beast's sash. A damaged robotic head peeked out from the dust and skulls. The floor shook and pillars erupted, raising all of them up.

Hal formed his plan quickly, watching as the others made their way to his platforms. Once they were gathered together, Hal started his speech.

"We're not Lanterns because of these," Hal indicated to his ring, "We are Lanterns because of this," pointed to his heart, "and this." Hal pointed to his head. "It's not the rings, it's us. We can do this if we stick together. Ready?"

Kilowogg threw Hal at the beast's face and Hal grabbed on, punching it in the eye. The beast dropped its whip in shock. Kilowogg jumped next, hitting the beast between the eyes with overhand clubbed fists. Razer and Erin jumped down, grabbing up the beast's whip and circling its legs with one end. Kilowogg dropped down, and grabbed the other end, finishing the tripwire. With a grunt and jerk the beast stumbled backwards. Hal fell onto its sash as the beast noticed the Lanterns around its feet. It tried to stomp them but it couldn't. Instead it grabbed Hal as he reached for the Manhunter head.

"In brightest day, in blackest night no evil shall escape my sight. Let those who worship evil's might, beware my power…!" As Hal was tossed into the creature's maw. For a second it seemed Hal had failed, only for him to burst forth, recharged. Hal threw the head to Kilowogg and attacked with a bat construct. Once he charged up, Kilowogg threw the head to Razer. Razer merely raised his red ring and tossed the head to Erin. Before Erin could start to charge, the guards opened fire, forcing him and Razer to take cover. As Kilowogg dealt with the guards Erin charged up and took to the air with Hal.

"Did you just kiss your hammer Kilowogg?" Erin mocked the Bolovaxian as he flew around, already shifting from green back to violet. With a right hook from Hal, a hard hammer from Kilowogg, and a quick uppercut from Erin, the creature stood dazed as Razer threw the Manhunter head at it. With the slow grace of defeat, the beast fell. The Lanterns were ready to celebrate when one of the aliens walked out.

"What have you done to Mother?" it asked, tears in its voice.

"Time to go." Hal said, lifting off as Erin grabbed Razer in a bubble. With their rings charged, they quickly left the settlement behind. After sealing and safely clearing the engine compartment for Razer, the others started to put the ship back together.

"Apparently my Lantern battery was able to recharge itself after all." Razer told them as he came back up to the resealed bridge.

"Well ain't that convenient." Kilowogg remarked.

"So, it was difficult, but we worked together despite the obstacles like Lanterns are supposed to. I guess my pep-talk hits home in any language." Hal said as he slung his arms around the assembled crew. Erin smirked in his usual knowing way, while Razer looked at Hal in confusion and Kilowogg tried to understand the human leader.

"Pep-talk?" Kilowogg asked.

"The one in the arena. The big all-for-one, one-for-all speech? You guys got that, right?" Hal asked as the two non-humans looked at each other. A silent agreement was reached.

"Oh that, yeah. Real inspirational." Kilowogg answered.

"Deeply moving." Razer added.

"Now let's get off this rock and find Aya." Hal said as he left. The three Lanterns made sure he was out of earshot.

"Did you understand what he was…?" Kilowogg asked.

"Not a word." Razer quickly replied. They looked to Erin, who shook his head.

"I speak his language and still didn't understand him." Erin explained.

With the ship repaired, they set off.

**Later…**

"Erin, Hal mentioned something about you losing a ring back in the prison." Razer told him as they sat at the table in the common room. The others had gone to bed, but they were still up, refurbishing broken pieces from the ship's holds.

"What of it?" Erin questioned, his mood souring at the reminder.

"Just thought this might be yours." Razer held out a small gold ring with a simple diamond set in it. Erin looked at it, not fully believing. He reached out to touch it, then quickly snatched from Razer's hand. He put it into a pocket and looked at his friend, relief flooding through him.

"Where'd you find it? I gave up hope on it."

"One of the guards decided he would try and check my pockets for valuables. So I returned the favor." Razer smiled, satisfied that he had managed something good in the wake of their near-demise.

"I owe you huge for this." Erin honestly told him as they got back to work.

"You can start paying me back by removing all the stupid prank notes you left scattered around the ship."

"How'd you figure out it was me?"

"At first I thought it was Hal using some kind of transcriber. But then you showed an aptitude for my language in the prison. Not much harder than putting the pieces together."

"Thanks Razer. You're my best friend too."


	24. Love is A Battlefield (Episode 22 LIAB)

**On Zamaron….**

A palace guard looked up, and cried out.

"Sisters! Look!" Manhunters descended from the sky and immediately began to attack. The guards formed battle lines, only for the Manhunters to slowly push them back. Gi'ata appeared and attacked, rescuing several guards and even destroying a few of the Manhunters before being forced back into the palace.

"Manhunters, here?" Aga'po said as the she watched her guards be defeated. She rushed into battle, easily defeating the machines.

"No man escapes the Manhunters." One of the damaged bots managed to say.

"I am no man. I am Aga'po, queen of the Zamarons!" She cried as she silenced her enemy.

**On the Interceptor….**

"As soon as the scanners locate Aya, we will set a direct course for her coordinates." Razer said as he continued his search for her. Razer looked forlornly at her usual spot, temporarily filled by Emmitt the former Manhunter. While his help was welcomed, his ability to perform the same duties she could were lacking.

"If we find her." Kilowogg remarked as he checked the weapons systems.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Look I love your cockeyed optimism but she was our nav-computer. All the stuff we need to find her? We can't do so well without her."

"Aya needs our help now more than ever. She's confused and her processors are misfiring."

"Confused? We wish. Going off the deep end and plugging into that invincible Anti-Monitor body. We'll probably be saving folks from her." Razer started to get up, ready to defend Aya. Erin quickly grabbed him, forcing back into his seat for the moment.

"Aya has helped pull our fat from the fire plenty of times. Now we're going to return the favor." Hal told Kilowogg, joining the other two in their defense of Aya.

"If only we knew where she was." Razer half-stated, half-pleaded.

**On Zamaron….**

The Aya-Monitor descended to battlefield, ceasing all the individual fighting between the Star Sapphires and the Manhunters. Gi'ata and Aga'po came out to see what had halted the fighting. They were shocked by the sight of Aya, her normal green and white replaced by electric blue and black.

"Star Sapphires of Zamaron. I demand an audience with your Queen." Aya said as she disengaged from the Anti-Monitor's body.

"You are the robot that served the Green Lanterns. Why have you come here, making war?" Aga'po answered as everyone readied their weapons at Aya.

"I have gained the understanding of the emotion you serve. Love, is not only useless, but destructive." Aya stated in her matter-of-fact way.

"Love does not destroy. It sustains and strengthens all who feel it."

"That is a lie. I loved and was loved only to have that love retracted, leaving me nothing but pain."

"You? A machine? A truly living being would trust that love will always prevail."

"Negative. I am here to punish you for cultivating this corrosive force."

"How dare you insult all that we stand for intruder!" Aga'po cried out as she attacked Aya with a beam of energy. Aya simply absorbed the blast, then fired one of her own. Aga'po was thrown through the palace, landing unconscious in its courtyard. Gi'ata and several guards rushed to her side, only to be confronted by Aya.

"I hope that you are done with your futile resistance." Aya said to Gi'ata.

"Our queen needs medical care, please let us take her to the infirmary." Gi'ata asked Aya, trying to reach for any spark of compassion left in her.

"You may try and save her, but it is for nothing. Just as love is for nothing." Aya told her.

**On the Interceptor….**

"The best way to find Aya is to get to Oa and scan from there." Hal argued. Erin and Emmitt turned to watch the slowly escalating tension in the bridge.

"We're two months from Oa." Kilowogg reminded.

"Sure at regular speed. But in ultra-warp, ten minutes tops if we don't stop for coffee."

"Personally, I question the idea of Earth as my homeworld's validity simply based on the things you consider sustenance Hal." Erin pointed out, remembering the last time the Earth Lantern had tried to get him to drink the saturated powder made from a small tree nut.

Kilowogg quickly ignored the side comment, "Ultra-warp without a nav Ai? Way too risky. One tiny rounding error and we end up smack-dab inside the molten core of a planet."

"But if you're right about how volatile Aya is, we have no choice." Razer commented, the pain of the realization aching him. Erin suddenly whipped his head around, his eyes unfocused.

"There is a disturbance in the tethers." He said as his eyes refocused on the bridge and crew. Kilowogg leaned close to Hal and tried to whisper.

"Shiny's going crazy." He said a little too loud.

**On Zamaron…**

"Why do you want to destroy us? Yes we serve love, because love is the one thing that will eventually peace and harmony to the universe." Gi'ata implored of Aya in the throne room. Aya merely fixed her cold gaze on the Star Sapphire.

"If you have ever felt love, you would know you are wrong." Aya told her. The android may have been close to Erin but she didn't know of his and Gi'ata's relationship.

"I have loved. I do love." Gi'ata said with the assurance of Erin in her heart.

"Who do you love that you are so sure of this?" Aya asked, her curiosity still searching for more information.

"I love Erin Mirror of Earth." Gi'ata told her, the shock momentarily breaking Aya's composure. Erin had never told anyone what had happened on Zamaron when he was away from the crew.

"But you have loved others before him, even as he likely does now." Aya told her, recollections of several times the crew had spent time in settlements and how often the women of the area would flock to Hal and Erin. Not that Hal or Erin ever let anything become of it.

"That is not true."

"Do you see how quickly your love turns to pain?"

"Yes, I mean no." Aya floated past her, making Gi'ata hurry after her.

"How will that pain bring peace to the universe?"

"It will…. I cannot say."

"You have dedicated your life, your entire planet's purpose to something you cannot explain." Aya turned to face her, her words cutting deep.

"We gained our understanding of love from two teachers who are not on Zamaron."

"Then bring these teachers here."

"Impossible. One is half a universe away and the other cannot be contacted by normal means."

"Teleport them, with your crystalline apparatus." Aya floated over the station, trying to ascertain how to control it.

"We cannot. The portal reunites beings that share a love between them. It cannot bring one without the other."

"Your supposition and technology are respectively wrong and primitive." Aya grabbed Gi'ata by the head, drawing the knowledge and understanding needed to use the crystal portal. She activated the portal, and released Gi'ata who quickly fell, drained from the encounter. Gi'ata pulled herself up in time to see the two figures in the portal. Carol Ferris stepped out first, confused as to how she had gotten there. As she took in the scene around her, Erin stepped through a wild look in his eyes.

"Oh not again." Carol said as Erin rushed past her to Gi'ata's side. He knelt down next to her, helping her stand up as he properly surveyed the scene around him. He noticed Aya and the new Manhunter guard arranged around the throne room.

"I knew something was wrong." Erin whispered to Gi'ata, though he seem confused by the arrival of Hal's ex-girlfriend.

"Will this take long? The buffet closes in 5 minutes." Carol asked of the assembled Lanterns. She squinted at Erin and seemed to recognize him as one of the crew members of the Interceptor.

"Carol Ferris, I am sorry that you were taken so abruptly in the middle of such important matters. It was not our choice. You were brought by this… Aya." Gi'ata said as Erin protectively flanked her, his eyes watching for any movement from the Manhunters.

"Right." Carol said, clearly not in the mood for more craziness from Hal's second job.

"Aya comes to us for answers about love, so I thought it best you two speak to her." Gi'ata explained as Carol set the small tray of food down on a nearby table. Erin immediately frowned, his hands going to his face.

"Wonderful." He muttered through his fingers.

"Of course… wait, what now?" Carol started as the momentary shock wore off.

"Erin. So my own brother is the proverbial snake in the garden. I will hear nothing from you, as you have already given your input on these matters several times." Aya told him, filling the boy with worry. If he couldn't get a chance to get through to her here, he would have to get the others here ASAP.

Aya turned her gaze to Carol, "Carol Ferris of Earth, can you convince me that the Zamarons and love should not be destroyed?" Erin's eyes widened, and he felt an unnatural surge of energy from his ring as he processed what she said. Carol tried to put together an argument on the spot.

"Well, I, uh…wait, destroy? Wait, you want to destroy love?" Carol stuttered as she fully comprehended what Aya had just said.

"I will destroy love's proxy in the universe, the Zamaron homeworld, unless you can give me a reason not to." Aya replied.

"Not gonna happen Aya." Erin told the android, who no longer seemed to acknowledge his existence in the room.

Carol used the moment to regain some composure before starting, "Huh, so no pressure then. Well, uhm, I don't know. Love is a battlefield. Love is patient. Love is kind. You have anything to add there kid?" Erin shrugged his shoulders, at a loss for words for once in his life.

"My love was unkind. He offered his love and took it back. Your fellow teacher can attest to that." Aya replied. Carol looked at Erin, who threw his hands up defensively and pointed back at Carol.

"Oh, uh, 'kay… it is not proud, it is not easily angered." Carol tried again, only to be cut off by Aya.

"False. When love is revoked it creates anger and resentment." Aya responded, then fired a warning shot at Carol's feet. She jumped back with a squeak. Erin raised his ring, but couldn't bring himself to charge a response blast.

"Carol, tell Aya what you told us. Erin, you try and do the same." Gi'ata told them. Erin looked at her in confusion as Carol tried to keep her hold on her wits.

"She isn't exactly listening to my input. I could say that her pieces make her look uneven but I don't…" Erin started to say, only to be grabbed in a forcefield from Aya. She casually threw him into the wall, where he slid down with a guttural moan. Gi'ata started to head towards him, only for him to wave her off.

"I will admit I deserved that. But out of everything I've ever told you sis, you choose that to actually listen to?" He grudgingly asked as he made his way back over, holding his side where he knew a rib had broken. Aya simply looked through him like he wasn't there, again. Gi'ata looked to Carol for any hope of salvation now.

"I don't know. All I said is that love is about doing what's best for the one you love. It's as simple as putting his or her needs before your own. But I'm no expert, I'm just someone who fell in love." Carol offered as her final plea. Erin moved his ring from his side, where he had been using violet energy to heal himself, and got ready to fight if it came down to it.

"Whom did you love?" Aya asked, her intent clear.

"I loved Hal Jordan. Love Hal Jordan." Gi'ata bowed her head in deference as Erin gingerly placed his arm around her waist. "I guess that's the hard part. I'll always love him, even though he makes me so angry."

"Then you hate and love the same person simultaneously." Aya observed.

"I could never hate Hal. He may drive me crazy, but he'll always have a place in my heart."

"So, you posit that love is stronger than hate?"

"Of course."

"Excellent, we shall see. There will be a trial by combat between love and hate." Aya said as she drifted past the three defenders of love.

"Emotions can't really fight each other."

"And a love tether can't be fully severed," Erin noted, realizing that a faint emotional bond still held Aya and Razer together.

"Negative. I will force them to."

**On the Interceptor…**

"Any sign of Erin?" Hal asked Kilowogg as Razer finished calculating ultra-warp with the help of Emmitt.

"Not since he poofed out to wherever he went. The kid is tough, he'll be fine." Kilowogg reminded him.

"All right, looks like we're ready for ultra-warp then."

"Aya makes those calculations in a fraction of a second. Razer's been working on that for three hours."

"I am reasonably sure I addressed all of the variables thanks to Erin's… ally." Razer replied as Emmitt watched the interactions of the crew without Erin to help him interpret. The former Manhunter found it fascinating.

"Oh, so long as you're reasonably sure. Jordan, look at this map. There are 15 near-misses in the Anders Nebula alone. No human brain can react fast enough to get through that alive." Kilowogg told Hal, pointing out the holes in his plan.

"Flying is mostly instinct. There's no brain involved." Kilowogg's look spoke volumes to Hal. "You know what I mean."

"It's worth it if it gets us to Aya." Razer told the sergeant.

"Razer's right. She needs our help now." Hal told Kilowogg, who accepted it with a grain of salt.

"3…2…1… Impel!" Kilowogg counted down as he activated the ultra-warp drive. With a surge of power, the ship disappeared into warp.

**On Zamaron…**

"How exactly are you going to make love and hate fight each other?" Carol asked Aya, who was approaching the crystal portal.

"Been meaning to ask that myself." Erin said, groaning as his newly healed bone pulled on his muscles.

"I will summon hate's champion." Aya said, opening a portal. Gi'ata and Carol stepped back as Atrocitus came through the portal. Erin tried to rush the former head of the Red Lanterns, only to be thrown back by Aya again.

"Who freed me from my cell?" Atrocitus asked, before noticing Aya. "A Green Lantern!" He tried to leap at Aya, only to be caught in her forcefield.

"Not quite. Atrocitus of the Red Lanterns, you are here to represent hate in a fight to the death against love's champion, Carol Ferris of Earth." Aya told them as Gi'ata immediately stepped forward to defend Carol.

"No, Carol Ferris is an innocent. Please let me be love's champion." Gi'ata pleaded.

"That's my girl! Always willing to fight for what right." Erin said as he pulled himself up from the pile he had landed in. A new black eye was already forming on him but he was still smiling.

"You yourself said that Carol Ferris and Erin possess the greatest understanding of love. Since Erin is not a valid data source, that leaves Carol Ferris. She is chosen." Aya told them, earning a muttered indignity from Erin.

"And why should I agree to this melee?" Atrocitus asked from his floating prison.

"Should you win, the prize is your freedom and the death of your opponent Hal Jordan's one true love, Carol Ferris." Aya told the ancient warmonger. Atrocitus could only smile in dark glee at the thought.

"That is acceptable."

"Wait, this is nuts. I can't fight an alien warlord. Are those serrated teeth?" Carol said as she sized up Atrocitus. Gi'ata quickly activated her ring, calling out a ring for Carol to use.

"Here, the Star Sapphire ring you returned before." Gi'ata told Carol as it floated, waiting for its host.

"Right, because if I'm battling to the death, I should at least be well accessorized." Carol commented as she put on the ring. Her Star Sapphire suit quickly formed, and she stood ready.

"Of course the fight must be fair. Atrocitus should have his power ring as well." Aya stated, summoning another portal through which a Red lantern ring arrived. Atrocitus quickly donned it, returning to his more formidable form.

"Are you insane? How is that fair?" Carol asked.

**On the Interceptor…**

"Coming out of ultra-warp in 3…2…1…" Hal said, easing back as the ship dropped out of the warp. He immediately gripped the wheel as he saw the star that they had nearly warped through.

"Did this figure into your calculations?" Kilowogg yelled at Razer as Hal maneuvered through the star's flares.

"We've jumped right into the atmosphere of a star." Razer replied, watching as the superheated gases curled around the ship.

"I see that." Hal grunted as he flew them through the unpredictable area. With a groan of exertion, Hal managed to pull the ship up and away from the star.

Kilowogg stood up, turning to Hal, "One half a degree and we would've been vaporized."

"But instead we're alive, and that much closer to Oa." Hal pointed out, "Next time we'll just remember to…"

"Next time? Uh-uh, we're never doing that again."

**On Zamaron….**

The Manhunters stood guard around the perimeter of the courtyard as Carol and Atrocitus looked at each other.

"Aya, I am not the Champion of Love. Please, call this off." Carol called out to the android who watched from a balcony far above.

"Fight or die." Came the simple reply. Erin's fists clenched next to the android, knowing any attempt to interfere would only put him out of commission to help when it was really needed. Carol turned back to Atrocitus, who was waiting to make the first move.

He attacked first, forcing Carol to dodge. Carol continued to defend herself, trying to keep away from the Red Lantern. He knocked her through the crystal garden, destroying most of the formations.

"I can't do this. I can't." Carol said as her ring started to glow. "Wait, the Star Sapphire's special power." She closed her eyes, her mind focusing on one thing. "Bring me the one I love."

**On the Interceptor….**

Hal turned around as a violet light flooded out from the space behind him. He saw a Star Sapphire portal, and in it he could see Carol, fighting for her life.

"Carol?" He asked, disbelief turning to anger. "Atrocitus!" Without a second thought, Hal jumped through.

"Jordan, wait!" Kilowogg's order falling on deaf ears. The Bolovaxian and Razer looked at each other as Hal and the portal disappeared.

**On Zamaron…**

Carol fled, trying to buy time for Hal to show up. Atrocitus caught her, slamming her to the ground. As she stood up, the portal opened behind her, surprising the Red Lantern as Hal punched him back into the crystal garden. Hal and Carol shared an intimate look before he took off after his old foe.

"Only the strength of love could bring Carol Ferris the hero, Hal Jordan." Gi'ata told Aya, then whispered, "Please be safe."

**On the Interceptor…**

"Do you know what the heck that was?" Kilowogg asked Razer, still shocked that another crew member had disappeared in front of them. Razer knew exactly where they were though.

"He's been transported to Zamaron." He told Kilowogg.

"Then we gotta hightail there. Atrocitus was waiting for him. Atrocitus."

"Zamaron is in Frontier Space, we would have to use ultra-warp."

"Then let's go."

**On Zamaron…**

Hal looked at the debris pile that Atrocitus was under, waiting for a sign of attack. Atrocitus leapt out, attacking Hal and forcing him back to the ground.

"When last we met human, I had just conquered Oa. This time you find me, better rested." Atrocitus said as he charged another attack. Hal charged, knocking Atrocitus back. Atrocitus hammered Hal back, stunning him. As the Red Lantern made to finish Hal off, Carol intervened, saving him. Hal used the set-up to knock Atrocitus back.

"The Star Sapphire ring doesn't let you drag anyone across the universe." Hal smiled at Carol.

"It was either you or my high school prom date. And he's an accountant in Tucson." Carol sarcastically replied. Atrocitus returned with a savage roar, giving them time to dodge his attack. But even together they couldn't stop him. First Carol was knocked out, then Hal landed dazed at the foot of the rock pillar that made up the heart of the crystal garden. Erin moved as Atrocitus charged a deadly fire-breath attack. Erin swooped low, looking to shield Hal at the last minute with the last of his ring's energy. Gi'ata raced straight forward, knowing Erin's ring didn't have enough to protect him or Hal. Hal's face turned upwards as Erin landed beside him. Atrocitus fired, and Erin put everything he had into a shield around them. But the blast was intercepted by Gi'ata, who had flown above them. Erin watched in horror as Gi'ata took the full force of the attack. He dropped his shield as she fell, sweeping under her just in time to catch her. He lowered himself to the ground as Hal finished recovering.

"Gi'ata no. No. This wasn't our fight. This isn't the way it's supposed to end." Erin whispered to her, trying to save her with the remaining energy in his ring. Far off on the balcony, Aga'po was being helped to the front where she could see Gi'ata dying in Erin's arms. Erin turned his face to Hal, and for a second his eyes blazed with pure fire.

"Kill him or I will." Erin told Hal. Hal could see that something deep in Erin had been broken, and that there might not be any going back for him.

"Your mate is next." Atrocitus told Hal, seemingly indifferent to Erin's death threat. Hal surged forward, green energy gauntlets forming as he battered Atrocitus. The Red Lantern could barely respond under the rain of blows. With a powerful hammer slam, Jordan knocked Atrocitus into the ground, where he lay defeated. Carol slammed a pillar on top of him for good measure. With the enemy defeated, Hal and Carol hurried back to Erin and Gi'ata where they still sat at the base of the crystal-studded pillar.

"Gi'ata you shouldn't have." Erin told her, tears falling from the boy's eyes.

"There is no greater privilege than to perform a deed born of pure love." She said, her head falling onto Erin's chest. "And no greater honor, than it should be my last." Her eyes closed, and Erin felt her last breath leave her. With tears pouring down his face in unrelenting streams, he pulled her closer as sobs wracked his body.

Back on the balcony, Aga'po turned to Aya, "There is your proof, that love is the strongest force in the universe. Only love could cause beings to put themselves so completely in harm's way and then make the ultimate sacrifice, one's life." The queen leaned heavily into a guard as grief took her remaining strength. The guard carried her as they flew to the others. Erin looked up at the queen as she knelt in front of him. She reached out and Erin let her hold Gi'ata's body.

"I am comforted that Gi'ata did not die in vain. She proved that love is superior. And saved our planet from destruction." She said, looking at the three Lanterns.

"We owe her our lives." Carol told Aga'po.

"Some more than others," Erin choked out, his composure still shattered.

"Love is not superior." Aya said as she floated over the group.

"But I represented love, and I am not the one smashed under a rock right now. I won, we won." Carol responded.

"No, Atrocitus lost, he and his ring shall be sent back where they came. His failure is unacceptable." Aya said as she moved the rock. Erin's suit turned red as he turned to Aya. His body blazed with red energy.

"No he won't. He dies here. At my hand." Erin told her. Aya continued as if he didn't speak, pulling Atrocitus out. Erin blasted her with red energy, making her toss Atrocitus and his ring aside. With a casual air, she blasted Erin back, launching him deep into the cliff walls nearby.

"Aya, please listen to me. Just stop and consider everything that's happened here. I…we would like to help you." Hal answered, wary of upsetting Aya further.

"This trial demonstrated that love causes only pain. It foolishly led Gi'ata to her own destruction." Aya replied.

"No, it led her to an act of total selflessness." Carol answered.

"All life is pain. I now understand that the best thing I can do for the universe is to eliminate all life, and replace it with emotionless machines, like my loyal Manhunters."

"What? Aya that's crazy. You fought alongside me against the same enemies, you are alive as I am. And now…" Hal was cut off as a battalion of Manhunters descended.

"Prepare for the total annihilation of Zamaron." Aya told them as she plugged herself back into the Anti-Monitor body.

"No Aya, I won't let you do this." Hal said as he leapt to defend the Star Sapphire homeworld. Carol followed suit, only for the two of them to become caught in a bubble by Aya.

"I do not recall giving you a choice." She raised her other arm, ready to eliminate them. Until a shockwave hit her, forcing her to turn and watch the Interceptor land as it came out of ultra-warp. Kilowogg, Emmitt, and Razer came out, looking ready for battle.

"Aya!" Razer yelled racing to her. He floated nearby looking at her. "Aya, what are you doing?" For a moment, he seemed to have reached her, only for her face to set in stone again.

"To destroy life a single planet at a time is illogical and inefficient. I will find a way to erase all life in one motion, and remake the entire universe in my own image. Free of all emotion." Aya told them before leaving. For a moment everyone watched as she left, the sobering realization of their mission's objective changing. With a surprising scream, Erin surged out of the cliff, slamming into the ground near Atrocitus. The former leader of the Red Lanterns stirred as Erin lifted him up in a single hand.

"Kid no!" Hal cried out, trying to get the boy before he followed through on his plan. He was knocked back by a blast of red energy, and could only watch as a red dome sealed Erin and Atrocitus inside.

"I told you Jordan, he dies today. His crimes are too many. Too much blood has been spilled by his actions. Justice demands retribution. And I am its instrument." He told as he slammed Atrocitus off the dome's edges. The battered alien couldn't stand, much less hope to fight him.

"We've gotta stop him. Shiny's gone nuts!" Kilowogg said as he watched the one-sided melee. Without pausing to consider the others, Emmitt surged forward, his heavy armor protecting him as he forced his way inside the dome.

"Erin, this is not your way. Please cease and desist." The robot asked him, stepping between the boy and his prey. Erin's rage only seemed to blaze brighter as he swatted Emmitt aside. Emmitt woefully activated his weapon systems, firing at Erin in an attempt to stop him. As the shots forced Erin to stumble, he turned back to the Manhunter he had saved back on Odym.

"You'll share his fate, traitor." Erin said, a burst of speed propelling him directly in front of Emmitt. With an energy-clawed hand, Erin tore through the robot's chest, destroying it with a single move.

With the energy fading from his eyes, Emmitt had time only to whisper, "She wouldn't want this." With his last words said, the robot exploded, filling the dome with smoke. The dome collapsed, allowing the smoke to dissipate. As it cleared everybody could see Erin kneeling, clutching his head and shaking as Atrocitus lay stunned nearby. They were surprised when the red power ring showed up, floating near Erin. It came as an even greater shock as Gi'ata's Star Sapphire ring left her hand and floated over as well.

"Your choices are before you. Make them." Erin's ring spoke out for them all to hear. A large pyramid suddenly appeared, sheltering Erin and the floating rings from their sight. The faces of the pyramid turned and changed, becoming video screens.

In the screens, they saw Erin in civilian clothes laying defeated in what looked like a graveyard. The boy struggled, trying to get up even as his body was clearly shutting down. His eyes were turned to something behind their vantage point, but they could still see the hatred in them.

"You lied, Skullface." Erin spat through a busted lip and blood flowing from a broken nose.

"Name-calling hardly suits you." An evil voice said from wherever Erin was looking.

"You said, that if I came, you would leave them alone. But you just killed them anyways!" Erin screamed back, his body thrashing weakly as he tried to attack his enemy.

"It's called a display of power. Proof to you that my way is inevitable. Now it's time for you to hold your end of our bargain."

"You'll have to kill me first."

"I could and the results would be the same. But I thoroughly enjoy watching the life drain out of you mortals." A black power ring floated into view, and Erin threw an arm up as if to protect himself from it. Unnoticed by him, but noticeable to the Lanterns who watched, four comets streaked towards. One blue, one green, one violet, and one silver. They stopped in front of him, revealing themselves to be more power rings. As if fighting for the best piece of meat, the rings slammed onto his hand. Erin screamed as colored energies rolled off the rings and into him. He pulled his hand to his chest, hiding it from view. Then a brilliant explosion blinded them, and once their eyes cleared they were shocked. Erin seemed to be floating in a total void, his body sprawled out in the total nothingness. Where five rings had tried to sit on his hand, now only one ring was visible. It was the Mirror Lantern ring, and it had apparently won the power struggle.

"I will send him to another universe. Hopefully he won't allow its destruction like his own." A mysterious voice said. From off-screen a green bubble formed, dragging Erin's listless body away. The scene faded and then the pyramid broke, revealing Erin.

He stood there, looking at his new ring as the red and silver rings sat at his feet. He looked at the others, anguish clear on his face. But he didn't speak, instead he turned to where Atrocitus lay and knelt. The others moved closer, wary of any hostile moves.

"You know Atrocitus, I forgive you." Erin said looking at the dazed former Red Lantern. "As much you don't deserve it, I done holding back things. Because even you have a chance at atonement and redemption. Take care and try finding something good to hold onto besides your pain." Erin patted the alien's chest before creating a portal and rolling him through it.

"Kid, what was…?" Hal started to ask, only to be cut off by Erin's swiftly raised hand. He walked right by them and knelt by Aga'po. The queen looked at him, her confusion clear.

"I never got the chance to ask her. But know I will carry her memory with me always." Erin said, placing a small black felt box in the queen's hands. Without a word, she nodded and they all went to the throne room to mull over what happened.

"Carol Ferris and Hal Jordan, you have saved us from destruction. We are forever grateful." Aga'po told them as the crew stood back a ways.

"I only wish we could have saved Gi'ata. She is a true hero. We'll keep her in our hearts." Carol politely told her, respecting the grief of the people in the room.

"The last time you were here, you returned the Star Sapphire ring. And this time?"

"I think I'll keep it. Never know when it might come in handy."

"You honor us by doing so." With the exchange done, the queen activated the crystal portal, ready to send Carol home to Earth.

"So…?" Hal said as he looked at Carol. With a small smile, she stepped forward and lightly kissed his cheek.

"Thanks for being there when I called Hal. I'll be seeing you around… the galaxy." Carol remarked before leaving through the portal.

**Later, on the Interceptor….**

Erin sat at the table, looking at the ring that he had chosen. The others didn't realize that he now remembered his old life. His old family. His old universe.

"Do you wish to discuss what happened?" Erin turned to Razer in surprise. The others had been leaving him alone to "work it out for himself," so the question came from nowhere.

"If anyone else is going to understand, it'll be you." Erin replied as Razer sat across from his friend.

"We saw the destruction of your universe when you were in that… thing." Erin's eyebrows moved a fraction higher at the comment.

"Yeah, well at least this time I got a chance to choose instead blowing everything up. Unfortunately for Emmitt, it's too late."

"Why choose the Star Sapphire ring? You could have kept the power of your other ring and still served with them."

"Because that ring isn't me. Not anymore. When Gi'ata… died, I felt a part of myself die. And when I went into that ring chrysalis as I'm going to call it, that part woke up and reminded me of who I really am."

"So you remember more than just the destruction of your universe?"

"Yes, but that's a story that will only bring us more misery. Just know that I was always a meddling romantic who couldn't keep his trap shut." With a sad smile, Erin pushed himself up and turned to head for the bridge. Razer sat there a moment, contemplating Erin's answers. "Before I forget, I want you to know something. If it comes down to it, always choose love. Don't let another part of you die to your usual stubbornness."

"You… may be right." Razer said as he followed his fellow crewmember back to the bridge.


End file.
